| ObjectiveInfectious diseases can do great harm to people’s health, and their spectrum and epidemic characteristics will change with the influence of a few social factors. The research reviewed the data about infectious diseases of 60 years in Huangpu District, Shanghai, described epidemic characteristics, analyzed the influence of social factors, evaluated effects of prevention and control and discussed the priority of future’s work.MethodsEcology research method was used to analyze epidemic characteristics of infectious diseases. A model for analysis of change characteristics was applied. Historical backgrounds of Shanghai and Huangpu District were collected with literature review method.Results1. The incidence rate and death rate of infectious diseases arrived at the highest level during the period of 1950-1960 in Huangpu District and decreased afterwards. Diseases with different ways of transmission played a main role in various periods. Among the key diseases (A and B Class), respiratory diseases were the most important during 1956 to 1963 like measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough, then intestinal diseases during 1964 to 1996 like dysentery, typhoid and paratyphoid, pertussis, and then blood borne and sexually transmitted diseases during 1997 to 2011 like gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B and C. In recent years, new emerging infectious diseases were threats to public’s health.2. In recent 10 years, the incidence rate of tuberculosis, hepatitis, AIDS, gonorrhea and syphilis were the highest. The incidence rate of tuberculosis decreased and death rate remained at a low level during 1990-2011. The male young adults had a relatively higher incidence rate. The incidence rate of hepatitis was at a high level (over 100/100000) during 1956 to 1994 with an unstable trend and reached the upmost level in 1988, then the disease was controlled at a low incidence rate after 1995. Hepatitis A and E constituted a large percentage at early stage and turned to be hepatitis B and C later. However, the classification rate of hepatitis was always low. The male population had a higher incidence rate. People of 30-40 years old had the highest incidence rate of hepatitis A and B, and hepatitis A and E occurred most in winter and spring from January to April. The incidence rate of gonorrhea decreased in recent years, while syphilis and AIDS increased. The male young adults of 25-40 years old were the main population who had these 3 kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.3. Various social factors have casted a great impact on infectious diseases. Government departments improved administration measures in different times, including building up organizations of prevention, making regulations and rules, carrying out "Campaign of patriotic health" and "Prevention of schistosomiasis", launching out strategy of immunity, taking effective ways of propaganda. Political issues leaded to pandemic of some diseases such as whooping cough, measles, polio, hookworm, filariasis, hepatitis and epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis. The input of fiscal funds increased on the whole, which was a support to the prevention of infectious diseases. The floating population was easily infected by tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis and dysentery because of frequent mobility, crowded living condition, poor environment, less care about prevention of diseases, low salaries and difficulty in getting vaccination. On one hand, the improvement of education level enhanced population’s awareness about prevention, and thus helped to control intestinal infectious diseases. On the other hand, some immoral values and behaviors provided opportunities for sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis A and tuberculosis.ConclusionsThe overall effects of prevention of infectious diseases in Huangpu District during 1950 to 2011 were obvious:The incidence rate and death rate decreased dramatically; Some heavy diseases were eliminated; Measures taken by governments and professional organizations took effects; The system of infectious disease prevention and control have been built up and tends to be well-functioned; Public’s health knowledge and skills were elevated.While, the prevention and control of infectious diseases have faced with new challenges for the continuously changing political and economic environment, culture, population structure, people’s behaviors and living habits:①The new emerging infectious diseases posed a new threat;②The incidence rate of key infectious diseases increased, especially like hepatitis B, syphilis and AIDS;③Certain population were susceptible to diseases, such as floating population, young males, retirees, workers, housekeeping and the unemployed;④ The immoral values and behaviors promoted the incidence of diseases.SuggestionsThe government should still put emphasis on the prevention and control of infectious diseases and focus on building up a more comprehensive system:①Improve the surveillance system;②Enhance abilities to cope with new emerging infectious diseases;③ Increase the input of fiscal funds and ensure its stability;④Take measures to prevent and control the diseases with high incidence rate in recent years;⑤Concentrate on the special objectives like floating population;⑥Carry out health education projects in all the population. |
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