[Comparison of prevalence of physical disabilities in year 2006 and 1987, in China]

To understand the present situation and the changes of epidemiological characteristics of people with physical disabilities during the past 20 years in China.

Data regarding physical disability from China National Sample Survey on Disability in 1987 and 2006 were collected and analyzed as well as compared with different epidemiological methods.

In China, it was estimated that the overall prevalence of physical disabilities (PD) was 1.42% and there was an increase of 16.57 million people with PD for the past 20 years. In 1987, mild extremities took the largest proportion among all the people with PD, so as in 2006. The prevalence of PD was 3.76% in Tibet Autonomous Region which was also the highest in the country while Guangdong province had the lowest--0.64% in 1987. However, in 2006,Beijing had the highest prevalence of 3.20%, and the Zhejiang province the lowest--1.74%. PD prevalence increased in almost all China except Tibet Autonomous Region while Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had the largest increase. The prevalence of PD showed an obvious increase in the rural areas exceeding the urban areas. The prevalence of PD in males was higher than in females. The trend that the increase of age-specific physical disability prevalence parallel to the increase of age,had not changed during the past 20 years. However the prevalence of different age groups with PD distinctly did change. The prevalence of PD in 0-14 of age only increased 0.10% while the prevalence in 65 year olds and over had increased 5.35% during the past 20 years.

During the past 20 years, the total number of people with physically disabled had increased in China. Factors as living in the North and Northeastern parts of the country or in the rural areas,being males and elderly, had become the high-risk populations.