Prevalence and risk factors of chronic diseases among residents over the age of 18 in Tongling County

Objective To understand the current prevalence of major chronic diseases and their major risk factors in Tongling County's residents. Methods A multistage cluster random sampling method was adopted. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 3 221 residents over 18 years of age from 2 091 households in 13 townships of the county to investigate their general conditions, chronic disease history and other related factors of the incidence of chronic disease, and indicators including blood pressure, blood sugar and height were measured. Results The prevalence rate was 8.9% in two weeks. There were 212 cases of hospitalization in one year, with a 6.6% hospitalization rate. The total prevalence of hypertension was 33.9%, whereas the total prevalence of diabetes was 9.3%. And there were 474 cases of other chronic diseases,including stroke, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and so on, with a total prevalence of 14.7%. There was no statistical significance of sex difference (χ²=1.92,P=0.256), but there were age differences (χ²=237.83,P<0.001). By using Logistic regression analysis, it turned out that bigger waists and old age were risk factors of chronic disease, while heavy taste and low body mass of index were protective factors of chronic diseases. Conclusions The prevalence rate of chronic disease, especially hypertension is relatively higher in Tongling County. Prevention and control strategies and measures of chronic diseases have yet to be strengthened. While making the elderly as a priority of prevention objects, we should pay attention to expand the scope of prevention objects of chronic diseases to healthy people, guiding active and correct life-styles to improve the awareness of prevention and control of chronic diseases among the whole population.