摘要Since the introduction of a series of reform and open policies in its economic system in 1976,China has been in a boom period of social and economic fields.Rapid development in economy and the consequent improvement in living conditions,nutrition,and health care help to decrease infant mortality and deaths from infectious diseases,and notably effected the patterns of mortality.For example,respiratory diseases,acute infectious diseases,and tuberculosis were the leading causes of death in 1957,while diseases of heart,cerebrovascular disease,and malignant neoplasm were the fifth,sixth,and seventh leading causes of death.1 Up to 1975,cerebrovascular diseases,diseases of heart,and malignant neoplasm were the top three death causes,followed by respiratory diseases,digestive diseases,and pulmonary tuberculosis.1 A prospective cohort study involving a representative sample of the adult Chinese population was conducted in 2005,which revealed that the five leading causes of death were malignant neoplasm,diseases of heart,cerebrovascular disease,accidents,and infectious diseases among men and diseases of heart,cerebrovascular disease,malignant neoplasm,pneumonia and influenza,and infectious diseases among women.