Prevalence and risk factors associated with chronic disease in New Rural Cooperative Medical System: County in central China

Chronic diseases have gradually become the main factors affecting health. In order to estimate the prevalence and determine the risk factors among individuals, hospitalization survey data (n=54,536) from a county in central China in New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NCMS) were used in our study. In this paper, χ² test and non-conditional logistic regression analysis were the key models to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of chronic disease. Results showed that the prevalence of chronic disease individuals (n=13,610; N=54,536) is 24.96%. Coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, hypertension are the top three diseases. Meanwhile, circulatory system diseases ranked first. With using logistic regression model, age is an independent risk factor of chronic diseases. Furthermore, because of less cost, medical institutions in the county level are the first choice of local people. In conclusion, so as to guide the rural patients with chronic diseases get treatment to the greatest extent, preventive and intervening measures should be carried out, and the lifestyle and living environment of rural residents should be improved as well.