The Role Of Social Factors In Infectious Diseases Nearly 100 Years In China

Objective:Since the start of human being, infectious diseases have been coexisting with the development of human society all the time. The infectious diseases are just like a double-edged sword to the whole society. For one thing, they cause serious damages to the human society; for another, the prevalence of the infectious diseases usually results from a series of social factors, such as the political system, cultures and customs, population density, geographic environment, medical conditions and even religions in a country. This study aims to review the extents of the inluence the social factors have imposed on the prevalence of infectious diseases in the past one hundred years, undertake in-depth analysis in terms of the impacts that social factors have on the prevalence of infectious diseases and acquire historically precious experiences and lessons, and to provide guidance for preventing and controlling infectious diseases in the future.Methods:Literature review of the development of infectious disease during the past 100 years in China, empirical research and theoretical research methods were applied to recognize and reveal the trend on the prevalence of infectious diseases, and analyze how social factors affect the prevalence of infectious diseases.Results:1 The prevalence of infectious disease and its scale size are affected by many social factors. During the period of the Republic of China, infectious diseases are the first cause of death. The national mortality at that period was 30%o, among which 15%deaths were resulted from infectious disease. Considering the total population of 0.45 billion, more than 2,025,000 people died from the epidemic disease annually. Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the "prevention first" health policy was adopted, the highly infectious disease, such as the plague, cholera and smallpox had been eradicated. The prevalence of the infectious diseases had decreased from 4034.26 per 100,000 before the establishment of the Pepole's Republic of China to 245.4 per 100,000 in 1980s, along with that the rank of infectious disease in the cause of death dropped into 13th. The study showed that the social factors had influenced, regulated, and even determined the prevalence of infectious disease in the past 100 years in China.2.The Infectious diseases could severely damage the normal social life and cause a series of social problems. It was reported that in the period of the Republic of China, there would be 22 people infected per one death from the infectious disease. Considering the mortality rate of 30%o and the total population of 0.4 billion, the patients with infectious disease would be estimated by 26,400,000 every year. If the daily cost was 0.1 RMB Yuan per patient, the total cost would be 52,800,000RMB Yuan. Compared with the burden of infectious disease before the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the recent example of SARS in 2003 continued to show the impact of infectious disease on the current social development. The average costs per SAS patient was nearly 100,000RMB Yuan. Considering more than 5,000 cases were confirmed, the total cost was nearly 0.5 billion RMB Yuan. Moreover, the total budget related with the prevention and treatment of SAS in the different level of Chinese government was nearly 10 billion RMB Yuan. Overall, the impact of the infectious diseases on social development was even more than the loss that the local war brought.Conclusions:Since after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, anti-epidemic work already make a revolutionary success through establishing and improving gradually the prevention system in the public health.1. The highly infectious diseases were primarily eradicated; 2. Various notified infectious disease were controlled, and at a relatively stable stage; 3. The mortality rate of the Infectious disease dropped substantially; 4. The system of the prevention and control for the Infectious disease was gradually established and improved; 5. The rank of infectious disease in the cause of deaths dropped from the first to the current 13th.But, with the economic globalization, the increasing of migrant population, and destroyed ecological environment, the infectious diseases are prompting to an update, stronger attack to the human being. The prevention and control of infectious disease is facing several new problems:1. Infectious disease can affect the stability and growth of global economy.; 2. Infectious diseases can affect the security and stability in a country; 3. Infection can influence the nation's overall image; 4. Communicable diseases can affect the flow of international population.Policy Suggestions:The management of infectious disease by the government should be the key on the prevention and control of infectious disease. The government should always emphasize the determined role of social factors on the infectious diseases, and clarify the leadership of government in the prevention and control of infectious disease prevention, and gradually establish an fair, effective health service system, especially in the field if anti-epidemic service system.Innovation:This is the first comprehensive review of the trend and influence factors of the infectious disease in the past 100 years in China. The determinant role of social factors on the prevalence of infectious disease was analyzed by using the social medical theory and methodology.