Diarrhea and constipation are common gastrointestinal disorders among older adults that significantly impact quality of life and increase healthcare burden.

Using nationally representative data from the 2024 China Survey of Aging and Health (CAHS), this study found that the weighted prevalence of diarrhea and constipation among adults aged ≥65 years in China was 14.2% and 16.4%, respectively, with notable regional and demographic variations.

This study provides an epidemiological profile of gastrointestinal disorders in older Chinese adults and identifies high-risk populations and regions to inform targeted prevention and management strategies.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is essential for ocular homeostasis and glaucoma prevention. However, its developmental patterns and associations with refractive errors in children remain incompletely understood.

This study identifies a biphasic IOP trajectory peaking in grade 6 (approximately age 12 years) (18.2±2.9 mmHg) and a pubertal reversal in sexual dimorphism, with higher IOP in prepubertal girls vs. in boys from grade 10 onward, significant by grade 12 [mean difference –0.5 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI): –0.9, –0.1], while challenging uniform IOP–myopia causality through grade-stratified analyses.

Findings support the implementation of grade- and sex-specific pediatric IOP monitoring to improve targeted prevention of pediatric glaucoma and promote overall ocular health. They also underscore the need for further research on IOP dynamics to better inform myopia management strategies.

Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. However, recent large population-based surveys in China remain limited.

This population-based survey reported a 12-month unintentional injury incidence of 9.12% [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.47, 9.81] among children aged 0–5 years. The incidence rates were higher in boys, preschoolers, and urban children than in girls, younger children, and rural children. Falls accounted for 69.2% of reported injuries, most of which occurred at home during play.

Home-based prevention efforts should prioritize boys and preschoolers.

Adolescent cigarette and e-cigarette use remains common in China. Previous studies identified multiple individual-, family-, and school-related risk factors. However, national-level evidence distinguishing dual use from exclusive cigarette or e-cigarette use is limited.

A nationally representative survey of high-school students in 31 provincial-level administrative divisions in China produced updated estimates of tobacco use in 2021: dual (6.9%), cigarette (24.6%), e-cigarette (9.5%). Socio-ecological factors differed across statuses, and some preventive measures, including school-based tobacco education, had no associated use reduction.

Adolescent tobacco control should adopt differentiated strategies for dual/exclusive tobacco use, strengthen family/peer involvement, and improve school-based education program effectiveness.

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in China. However, the lifetime risk (LTR) of lung cancer in China remains poorly understood. This study aimed to provide national and regional estimates of LTR of lung cancer in China in 2023.

Lung cancer incidence and mortality data were sourced from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023. Population data were obtained from the China Statistical Yearbook and national census records. The lung cancer LTR was calculated using a standardized approach that accounts for multiple primary cancers.

In 2023, the LTR of developing lung cancer in China was 6.52% [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 6.28, 6.56], while the LTR of dying from lung cancer was 5.98% (95% UI: 5.57, 6.26). Sex-specific analysis indicated that males had a higher risk, with 8.28% (95% UI: 7.74, 8.38) for developing and 7.61% (95% UI: 6.71, 8.19) for death, compared to 4.52% (95% UI: 4.30, 4.74) and 4.14% (95% UI: 3.81, 4.51), respectively, in females. The remaining LTR of lung cancer declined as the age at diagnosis increased. Marked geographic disparities were observed; the highest LTR was found in the northeastern region, followed by the eastern, northern, south–central, and southwestern regions, while the northwestern region had the lowest risk.

The estimated LTR of lung cancer in China is approximately one in 15 individuals and one in 17 deaths. The substantial regional variations in lung cancer risk highlight the need for targeted cancer control strategies and tailored healthcare planning.