The Challenge to Healthy Longevity: Inequality in Health Care and Mortality in China

Zhongwei Zhao*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    China made great progress in lowering mortality in the second half of the twentieth century. Its life expectancy increased from approximately 35 years to more than 65 years between 1950 and 1980. China’s recent socio-economic reforms started in the late 1970s and has brought about both positive and negative changes in social security and health care systems. Some of the changes have created dif- ficulties for the further improvement of public health. While China’s mortality has continued to fall in the last 25 years and life expectancy has now reached 72 years, it also faces serious challenges in further improving healthy longevity. This chapter first reviews the epidemiological transition and increasing longevity in the world. It then discusses China’s mortality decline and some major changes in health care taking place in recent decades. Following that, it examines the increasing inequality in health care and mortality across different areas and population groups. Finally, it comments on major challenges in raising healthy longevity and some related issues.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationSpringer Series on Demographic Methods and Population Analysis
    PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media B.V.
    Pages269-287
    Number of pages19
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2008

    Publication series

    NameSpringer Series on Demographic Methods and Population Analysis
    Volume20
    ISSN (Print)1877-2560
    ISSN (Electronic)2215-1990

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