title: Ageing, the urban-rural gap and disability trends: 19 years of experience in China - 1987 to 2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the age of a population increases, so too does the rate of disability. In addition, disability is likely to be more common in rural compared with urban areas. The present study aimed to examine the influence of rapid population changes in terms of age and rural/urban residence on the prevalence of disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 1987 and 2006 China Sampling Surveys on Disability were used to estimate the impacts of rapid ageing and the widening urban-rural gap on the prevalence of disability. Stratum specific rates of disability were estimated by 5-year age-group and type of residence. The decomposition of rates method was used to calculate the rate difference for each stratum between the two surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The crude disability rate increased from 4.89% in 1987 to 6.39% in 2006, a 1.5% increase over the 19 year period. However, after the compositional effects from the overall rates of changing age-structure in 1987 and 2006 were eliminated by standardization, the disability rate in 1987 was 6.13%, which is higher than that in 2006 (5.91%). While in 1987 the excess due to rural residence compared with urban was <1.0%, this difference increased to >1.5% by 2006, suggesting a widening disparity by type of residence. When rates were decomposed, the bulk of the disability could be attributed to ageing, and very little to rural residence. However, a wider gap in prevalence between rural and urban areas could be observed in some age groups by 2006.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increasing number of elderly disabled persons in China and the widening discrepancy of disability prevalence between urban and rural areas may indicate that the most important priorities for disability prevention in China are to reinforce health promotion in older adults and improve health services in rural communities.
authors: School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiaoxia
authors: X
authors: Peng
authors: Shige
authors: S
authors: Song
authors: Sheena
authors: S
authors: Sullivan
authors: Jingjun
authors: J
authors: Qiu
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult