ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To understand the changing trends of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps from 1998 to 2008. METHODS: A stratified-cluster random sampling based cross-sectional NCDs survey was carried out in 2008, and using the data of NCDs from the health service surveys in 1998 and 2004, in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The prevalence rate of NCDs was standardization according to age proportion of the population being surveyed in 1998. RESULTS: In 1998, 2004 and 2008, the prevalence rates of NCDs in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps were 17.26%, 25.61%, 24.85% while the Standardized rates of NCDs were 17.26%, 23.54% and 20.49% respectively. The prevalence rates of NCDs were statistically significant different in 35-, 45-, 55- and over 65 age groups in 1998, 2004 and 2008 which showed an consecutive upward trend. The prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increased significantly from 1998 to 2008. The prevalence rate of hypertensive disease among 25- age group, diabetes among 35- age group, cerebrovascular disease and coronary heart disease among 45- age groups showed an increasing trend. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, together with diabetes were the fastest increasing ones over the past 10 years and becoming the major diseases, making the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps an aging population. NCDs should be prioritized in the health development plan. Targeted health education should be carried out in the whole population, together with other interventions as well as management programs on chronic diseases to reduce the prevalence of NCDs.
