China and India: Nations' Health Comparison

Describe two health outcomes for which India and China have had different experiences in the last half century.

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China

Diarrhea is the second deadliest parasitic and contagious disease in China. One in every 100,000 deaths in China is from diarrhea-related illnesses.

Explain the reasons for the disparities noted.

People have changed their food consumption habits, which has facilitated the transmission of bacterial agents responsible for diarrhea-related diseases. A change in the dietary behavior is another factor to the transmission of the bacteria. A major way in which young children get these parasites or bacteria is through consumption of contaminated food. People have reduced their intake of cereals and increased their intake of animal products since 1992. It has contributed to about 300 million food-borne illnesses that occur in China each year. Chinas economy has grown fast influencing the standard of living that has made Chinese change their diet. This growth is a result of the accomplishment of the country's export-driven approach in the global market (Wolf & Rand Corporation, 2011).

The country's food industry, on the other hand, has expanded to satisfy the consumers' demands. Its government does not have the proper regulations for all food companies in China, which are almost a million thus leading to people consuming various types of food products that could be contaminated. It is a risky industry because 70% of the companies are small family business. Therefore, they can lack enough capital and might not take the proper measures to start a safe food business. It, therefore, becomes risky to the consumers.

In comparison with most Western developed countries, China has a higher stroke prevalence. The World Health Organizations Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases in Beijing had an annual CHD event rate of 81 per 100,000 men while women were 35 in every 100,000 during the early 1990s. However, in the 1980s, the age-adjusted CHD mortality rate was 46 for men and 26 for women per every 100,000 deaths (Spence et al, 2009). Large variation was detected in rural and urban Chinese and those who live in the north and south parts of the country with influence from environmental changes, genetic susceptibility, and people becoming more affluent. From 1984 to 1989, coronary events plus strokes (CVD) event rates for the people aged between 35-74 years, increased from 2% to 4%.

Explain the reasons for the disparities noted

The highest risk factors for ischemic CVD were smoking and hypertension. Today, hypertension affects a quarter of the Chinese, and it is common in urban areas than in rural areas. Men in China take up 10% of the world's population, but they consume 30% of the globe's cigarettes. Nonsmokers inhale cigarettes passively due to the high number of smokers in the country, therefore, being a reason behind ischemic CVD.

India

India is among the countries that experience some of the highest impacts of diseases in the world. The country has 18% of universal deaths and 20% of disabilities occurrences according to World Health Organization statistics in 2009. More than half of the deaths in India are from chronic diseases while 36% are from nutritional deficiencies, contagious diseases, maternal and perinatal conditions (Caballero & Popkin, 2002). India accounts for 20% of parental deaths and 25% of children deaths globally. Indians' life expectancy rates are low as women live for 66 years while men live for 63 years. Mortality rates in the country equate to 69 per 1000 births.

Explain the reasons for the disparities noted

Lack of access to education services, information, and knowledge, cause Indians to seek proper health services. Therefore, it influences their health beliefs, health seeking behavior and views of health and illness. These barriers are brought by factors in society and cultures such as religion, cultural beliefs and gender. It is important to encourage the Indian community to take up appropriate health services to reduce the adverse rates of deaths due to illiteracy or lack of health consciousness.

The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau in 1990 analyzed the prevalence of obesity in Indian women whose results were 4.1% (Caballero & Popkin, 2002). The National Family Health Survey reported 3.5-4.1% on the same analysis. Obesity was a problem among Indian women who were educated, lived in urban areas and the older ones from the two reports.

Explain the reasons for the disparities noted

There is a high intake of energetic foods; people are having drastic weight gains and high levels of laziness in rapidly growing urban areas in societies like India leading to the high levels of obesity. It affects both children and adults.

Describe the experience of those outcomes in Kerala and suggest reasons for why they are similar or different from the rest of India.

Kerala has a high level of social development inconsistent in comparison to its level of economic growth. Kerala also is ahead regarding the conventional physical quality of life indicators when analyzed with the other states in India and developed countries. It is among the top-rated states on human development index. In 2008, it was the first in social development according to the India Social Development Report in the rural areas and second for the states in the urban areas and has the least rural-urban inequalities among other states in public health ranking.

There is gender equality in Kerala and women are educated as much as men are. Their levels of literacy are also very high in comparison to other states in India. Some of the factors that have contributed to these women been literate and treated equally to men are matrilineal systems within some people, early introduction of female education, reformers also give women importance, and the community introduces family planning early in the community (Wolf & Rand Corporation, 2011). This makes it easy to apprehend the health status of women in the state because most who attend school are under the age of 14.

References

Caballero, B., & Popkin, B. M. (2002). The nutrition transition: Diet and disease in the developing world. Amsterdam: Academic Press.

Spence, M., Annez, P. C., & Buckley, R. M. (2009). Urbanization and growth. Washington, DC: Commission on Growth and Development.

Wolf, C., & Rand Corporation. (2011). China and India, 2025: A comparative assessment. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.