Health system reform in China : the challenges of multimorbidity

As ageing in the global population accelerates and life expectancy increases, disability and multimorbidity has become a substantial challenge for the global health system.1 Multimorbidity increases the complexity of diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases, reduces a patient's quality of life, and is associated with an increase in risk of death.2
In The Lancet Global Health, Yang Zhao and colleagues3 examined socioeconomic group differences in the prevalence of physical multimorbidity, and the association between physical multimorbidity, health-care use, and catastrophic health expenditure. They found that multimorbidity presents substantial challenges for China in promoting healthy ageing, as proposed by the Healthy China 2030 strategy.4 Several innovative findings from this study suggest options for better health policies for China and low-income and middle-income countries.