AN ESTIMATE OF CHRONIC DISEASE BURDEN AND SOME ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES AMONG THE ELDERLY HONG-KONG POPULATION

Objectives-To estimate the burden of chronic disease for an elderly Ch inese population aged 70 years and over, and to illustrate the use of this information in estimating the economic consequences of disease bu rden using stroke as an example. Participants-A total of 1902 subjects recruited by random sampling of the old age and disability allowance schemes, which cover over 90% of the Dong Kong elderly population, str atified by sex and five year age groups from age 70 years onwards. Met hod-Information was collected on 10 medical conditions at baseline: ar thritis, hypertension, cardiac disease, stroke, chronic obstructive ai rways disease, peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus, osteoporotic fracture, malignancy and dementia. A follow up survey was carried out after 18 months to determine the occurrence of new disease and the number with disease who had died. Disease burden is calculated as the number with disease at baseline plus the number developing new disease minus the n umber who had died. Results-Disease burden figures were highest for ar thritis, hypertension, cardiac disease, and peptic ulcer, and were hig her in the 70-79 age group than the 80+ age group for some diseases. F or stroke, the economic cost based on a population projection for 2001 was estimated to be around HK$1 900 000 000, or US$250 million. Concl usion-Information on the burden of chronic disease is important. It en ables' the economic consequences to be estimated so that strategies ca n be developed to prevent diseases with high costs and known effective preventive methods.