P141 - ANALYSIS OF PREVALENCE, YEARS LIVED WITH DISABILITY, AND TRENDS OF ANEMIA BURDEN AND MAIN CAUSES IN CHINA, 2002-2015

P141

ANALYSIS OF PREVALENCE, YEARS LIVED WITH DISABILITY, AND TRENDS OF ANEMIA BURDEN AND MAIN CAUSES IN CHINA, 2002-2015

L. He^1,*, H. Fang¹, P. Wang¹

¹National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease control and Prevention, Beijing, China

Rationale: China’s rapidly aging population, with 264 million adults aged ≥60 years in 2020, faces significant anemia-related health risks. This study analyzes the temporal trends and etiological spectrum of anemia in older adults to inform targeted interventions addressing its burden on cognitive function and cardiovascular health.

Methods: Three indicators were used to evaluate the disease burden of anemia: prevalence, Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), and Years Lived with Disability rate (YLD rate). Data on anemia prevalence were obtained from the 2002 Chinese Nutrition and Heath Survey, the 2010-2013 Chinese Nutrition and Health Surveillance, and the 2015 China Adults Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance. A multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was adopted in these surveys. YLDs, YLD rate (per 100,000 population), and causes of anemia were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 (GBD 2021). The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to test the trends between different ages, genders and living areas.

Results: The prevalence and YLD rate of anemia among older adults aged 60 and above exhibited a notable decreasing trend across various demographic factors. Anemia prevalence was higher in rural areas and western areas. The YLD rate of females was higher than that of males, except for adults over 85 years old. Both prevalence and YLD rate increased with age. Dietary iron deficiency was the leading cause of anemia. 

Conclusion: While the disease burden of anemia has shown a decreasing trend, significant age and regional disparities persist. Anemia among older adults, particularly in rural and western regions, remains a major health concern. Special attention is needed to address dietary iron deficiency as a key factor contributing to anemia.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared