Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an uncommon and aggressive malignant head and neck cancer, which is highly prevalent in southern and southwestern provinces in China. The aim of this study was to examine the disease burden and risk factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China from 1990 to 2019 and to predict the incidence trends from 2020 to 2049. All data were extracted from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort (APC) models were chosen to analyze prevalence trends. The temporal trends and age distribution of risk factors were also analyzed descriptively. Bayesian APC models were used to predict the prevalence from 2020 to 2049. The results indicate a higher disease burden in men and older adults. Their attributable risk factors are smoking, occupational exposure to formaldehyde, and alcohol use. We predict that the incidence will be on the rise in all age groups between 2020 and 2049, with the highest incidence in people aged 70 to 89 years. In 2049, the incidence rate is expected to reach 13.39 per 100,000 (50–54 years), 16.43 (55–59 years), 17.26 (60–64 years), 18.02 (65–69 years), 18.55 (70–74 years), 18.39 (75–79 years), 19.95 (80–84 years), 23.07 (85–89 years), 13.70 (90–94 years), and 6.68 (95+ years). The findings of this study might deserve consideration in China’s NPC prevention and control policy design.

With a surge of conflicts between healthcare workers and patients in recent years, the therapeutic relationship (TR) in China is presently in tension. Meanwhile, consequent issues have begun to emerge, such as the distrust between healthcare workers and patients and the decline in the quality of medical services. Although many empirical studies about the TR have been conducted in China, previous studies on TR and its influencing factors have been contradictory. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the current situation of the TR and to identify factors associated with the TR in Chinese hospitals from three perspectives (healthcare worker, patient, and therapeutic interaction). Two reviewers independently searched the literature, selected researches, and extracted data through comprehensively searching of three international electronic databases and three Chinese electronic databases to identify all relevant observational studies on influencing factors for TR in China published in English and Chinese from January 2000 to January 2020. Among the 3290 records initially identified, 11 studies met the selection criteria. A total of 96,906 individuals were included in the review. The results showed that 55.73% of healthcare workers consider the TR to be tense, and 33.7% of patients hold this view. The meta-analysis indicated that healthcare workers who were male, older, less educated, working in a non-surgical department, and had a senior title were more likely to be pessimistic about the TR. Patients who were rural residents, highly educated, and had no medical insurance were more likely to be pessimistic about the TR. Furthermore, the mutual trust could improve rapport between healthcare workers and patients. The 25 other related factors related to the TR were analyzed and described using a narrative approach. The findings might deserve consideration in the design of relative policies to promote harmony between doctors and patients.

Lip and oral cavity cancer is a common malignancy faced by many developing countries, and the disease burden is high in China. This study explored this cancer burden and its risk factors using data from China in the GBD 2019, along with predicting the incidence trends in 2020–2049. Data on age-standardized rates (ASR), incidence, death and disability-adjusted life years (DALY), by sex, age and risk factors were collected from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Joinpoint regression and Age–Period–Cohort (APC) models were selected to analyze the epidemic trend of this cancer in China, and descriptive analysis was used for the time trend and age distribution of risk factors. The Bayesian APC model was selected to foresee the incidence trend in 2020–2049. This cancer burden was found to be in an upward trend in China in 1990–2019. The upward trend was more pronounced among men than among women. These cancer deaths and DALYs are overwhelmingly attributable to smoking and drinking. On APC analysis, the younger generation in China demonstrated a lower cancer risk. In 2049, the incidence of this cancer is projected to be 3.99/100,000, 6.07/100,000, 7.37/100,000, 10.49/100,000, 14.82/100,000, 19.19/100,000, 20.71/100,000, 23.64/100,000, 16.42/100,000 and 9.91/100,000 among those aged 50–54, 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85–89, 85–89 and over 95 years, respectively. Disease control policies and early screening should focus on men and the elderly and target different risk factors.

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the three major disabling diseases in the world. However, the current disease burden in China is not well-known. This study aimed to explore the burden and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders in China from 1990 to 2019, predicting the incidence trend from 2020 to 2044. All data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019). Joinpoint regression and age–period–cohort (APC) models were selected to analyze the epidemic trend, and descriptive analyses of the time trends and age distributions of risk factors were performed. The Bayesian APC model was used to foresee the incidence trend from 2020 to 2044. The results indicated that the burden of musculoskeletal disorders is higher in women and older adults. Its attributable risk factors were found to be tobacco, a high body mass index, kidney dysfunction and occupational risks. In 2044, musculoskeletal disorders in China showed a downward trend for 35–59-year-olds and a slight upward trend for 30–34- and 65–84-year-olds. The 70–74 year age group saw the largest increase in incidence at 4.66%. Overall, the incidence increased with age. Therefore, prevention and control policies should focus on women and the elderly, and health interventions should be carried out based on risk factors.

Background: Gastrointestinal cancer imposes a heavy public health burden worldwide. The six major subtypes of GI cancer cases accounted for over a quarter of the total cancer cases in China. We examined and predicted the amount and trend of the burden of gastrointestinal cancer in China. Methods: We collected the crude incidence rate (CIR), age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), crude DALY rate, age-standardized DALY rate, crude death rate (CDR), and age-standardized death rate (ASDR) by gender, age, and risk factors from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database, covering the period from 1990 to 2021. We used an age–period–cohort (APC) model to calculate the age, period, and cohort effects separately and a Bayesian APC model to predict the epidemiological trends and the age-specific incidence. Results: In 2021, 1,957,948 incidence cases of gastrointestinal cancers were estimated in China, with an incidence rate of 137.62 per 100,000. The burden was notably higher for males, with tobacco use accounting for 26.48% of male GI cancer DALYs versus dietary risks (13.22%) being predominant in females. Metabolic risk factors showed concerning growth trends, with high fasting plasma glucose increasing by 166.06% in males and 275.72% in females. The age–period–cohort analysis revealed peak incidence at advanced ages (>80 years) for most GI cancers. By 2050, China’s gastrointestinal cancer burden is projected to increase substantially, with total cases reaching 2.92 (95% CI: 2.27, 3.77) million (49.06% increase) and crude incidence rate rising to 230.51 (95% CI: 178.98, 298.03) per 100,000 (a 67.49% increase), predominantly driven by colorectal cancer (41.74%) and stomach cancer (21.47%). While crude incidence rates show consistent increases across all GI cancers, particularly in males, age-standardized incidence rates are predicted to decrease for most cancer types except for male colorectal and biliary tract cancers. Conclusions: The burden of gastrointestinal cancer in China is growing rapidly and will continue to increase. The performance of ASIR indicated that population aging is a potential driver of the increasing burden. Cancer control policies should focus on older people. It is critical to distinguish prevention strategies by gender and age according to the major risk factors.