School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Department of Nursing, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Biosci Trends. 2022 May 17;16(2):107-118. doi: 10.5582/bst.2022.01068. Epub 2022 Apr 17.
The aim of the current study was to review the current state and characteristics of the elderly population in China in the context of aging, difficulties and challenges faced by older people, and efforts of the current Chinese Government in this area. The process of population aging in China began to accelerate in the late 1970s and has continued to increase at a rate of about 3.2% per year since then. This process took more than 45 years in developed countries, while it took only about 27 years in China, and aging may continue to increase for a long time. China is now moving toward a superannuated society due to declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy. There is a great need for care due to the high disease burden among older people. However, more than 1 million "families have lost their only child", and this number is increasing annually by about 76,000; moreover, there are a large number of "deficient families [with an injured family member]" in China. These families face greater difficulties due to aging and need to rely on society for more support given the lack of care provided by their children or spouses. The current study has focused on improving the quality of life of older people, helping them achieve healthy aging, and to assist the country in further providing care for the elderly.
本研究旨在探讨中国人口老龄化的现状和特点，包括老年人面临的困难和挑战，以及中国政府在这方面所做的努力。中国的人口老龄化进程始于 20 世纪 70 年代末，此后以每年约 3.2%的速度持续增长。这一过程在发达国家历时超过 45 年，而在中国仅用了大约 27 年，并且老龄化可能会持续很长时间。由于生育率下降和预期寿命延长，中国现在正朝着超老龄化社会迈进。由于老年人的疾病负担较高，因此对护理的需求很大。然而，超过 100 万个“家庭失去了唯一的孩子”，并且这个数字每年以大约 7.6 万的速度递增；此外，中国还有大量的“缺陷家庭[有受伤的家庭成员]”。这些家庭由于老龄化而面临更大的困难，需要依靠社会提供更多的支持，因为他们的子女或配偶无法提供照顾。本研究重点关注提高老年人的生活质量，帮助他们实现健康老龄化，并协助国家进一步为老年人提供护理。
