How to live after being diagnosed with a chronic disease✳
This section looks at overall mortality rates and the associated costs. A chronic disease diagnosis is not the end of the story — what truly matters is how to manage it over the decades that follow.
English text comes from the independent translation maintained by dlgrv. New entries without a translation appear in Chinese. The author's Chinese original is authoritative for the latest content. Translation snapshot: dlgrv/HowToLiveBetter · 11818c6
Take medication exactly as prescribed — don’t stop just because you feel better
People who consistently follow their doctor’s instructions when taking medication have roughly half the risk of dying during the same period compared to those who take it intermittently. This figure should be viewed with some caution. Even individuals who take fake pills consistently also have lower mortality rates, which suggests part of the benefit stems from the fact that people who stick to any medication routine tend to be more health-conscious overall. Still, the risks of skipping doses are well documented — especially for blood pressure drugs, anticoagulants, and anti-rejection medications.
Cost
There’s no cost at all;
Benefit
This finding comes from a meta-analysis that pooled data from 21 separate studies involving 46,847 participant…
02Evidence A
First get outpatient chronic disease certification, then register for cross-regional medical care — hypertension, diabetes, cancer radiotherapy/chemotherapy, dialysis, and anti-rejection treatment can then be covered by yibao across regions
Patients with hypertension, diabetes, outpatient radiotherapy/chemotherapy for malignant tumors, dialysis for uremia, and anti-rejection treatment after organ transplants can now use their yibao coverage for outpatient care anywhere in the country. They won’t need to pay out-of-pocket first and then seek reimbursement back home. However, this only works if they first obtain outpatient chronic disease certification in their home region, then register for cross-regional medical care. Both steps are required for it to take effect.
Cost
No cost at all. You can complete the cross-regional medica…
Benefit
According to official documents from the National Healthcare Security Administration, this system is now large…
03Evidence C
Follow the intervals recommended by your doctor for follow‑up visits, and record every measurement in the same notebook.
For chronic diseases, it’s the trends over time that matter, not any single measurement. Write down the date, the measurement, the medication you’re taking, and its dosage in one place. When you switch doctors, you can show this record so you won’t need to repeat tests or pay for them again.
Cost
Each checkup costs anywhere from a few dozen to several hu…
Benefit
What matters for chronic conditions is how these values change over time. Keeping them all in one spot also me…
04Evidence C
Don’t stop proper treatment to try folk remedies or supplements
The risks of stopping treatment are well known, while the benefits of folk remedies and supplements are uncertain. This means trading a definite harm for an uncertain gain. If you want to try supplements, talk to your doctor first. Some supplements can alter blood levels of anticoagulants and anti-rejection drugs.
Cost
No cost at all;
Benefit
The dangers of discontinuing treatment are clear, while the advantages of folk remedies remain unproven. This…
05Evidence A
For patients with stable chronic conditions, community clinics can issue up to 12 weeks’ worth of medication at one time
For individuals whose condition remains stable and whose medication regimen has not changed, community health centers can provide enough medication to last 12 weeks. This eliminates the need to travel to a larger hospital each month just to get a prescription and wait in line. Within the same insurance region, the reimbursement rate at these community clinics is typically about 10 percentage points higher than at higher-level hospitals.
Cost
There is no cost involved. Simply ask at your local commun…
Benefit
Patients no longer have to make monthly trips to larger hospitals just to get their prescriptions. In the same…
06Evidence A
Before signing up for a family doctor in your community, find out which services are covered by yibao and which you’ll have to pay for out of pocket
The standard package of basic services is covered by yibao as required. Any customized service packages must be paid for entirely by the patient. When someone offers an “upgrade package,” be sure to ask whether it’s a basic or customized package, whether it’s officially registered, and how much it costs per year.
Cost
There’s no cost involved. Asking a few questions before yo…
Benefit
The basic service package is paid for by yibao per regulations. Customized packages require full out‑of‑pocket…
07Evidence A
Get a dilated eye exam right after a diabetes diagnosis, then follow your doctor’s recommended schedule; check your feet once a year.
Diabetes can damage both the retina and feet, but there are almost no noticeable symptoms until the damage becomes severe enough to cause vision loss or foot ulcers. Early detection makes treatment possible. For type 2 diabetes, a dilated eye exam should be done right after diagnosis; for type 1 diabetes, it’s recommended to start five years after onset. If previous tests showed no issues and blood sugar levels remain well-controlled, the interval can be extended to once every one or two years. Foot checks should be done annually.
Cost
A single dilated eye exam costs anywhere from a few dozen…
Benefit
Retinal damage caused by diabetes is known as diabetic retinopathy, while damage to the feet is called diabeti…
08Evidence A
People who have had kidney stones should drink 2.5–3 liters of water daily and keep salt intake under 6 grams
Roughly one in four people who have had a kidney stone will develop another one within five years. In a study of 199 people who had just experienced their first calcium stone episode, one group was instructed to drink enough water every day. Over five years, 12% of this group had a recurrence, compared to 27% of the control group that received no special instructions. UK guidelines recommend drinking 2.5–3 liters of water daily while keeping salt intake under 6 grams. Exactly 99 participants took part in this trial.
Cost
There is no cost at all. Simply make drinking water a dail…
Benefit
This is a five-year randomized controlled trial involving 199 patients with idiopathic calcium stones — meanin…
09Evidence A
Long-term use of uric acid-lowering drugs after a gout diagnosis to keep blood uric acid below 360 µmol/L
The proper way to manage gout is to take uric acid-lowering drugs long-term to keep levels below 360 µmol/L; these should not be taken only during flare-ups. In a UK trial involving 517 participants, 95% of those whose treatment was adjusted according to medical targets achieved this level after two years, compared to only 30% of those receiving standard care. Even after reaching the target, medication must not be stopped. Diet alone cannot bring levels down to this point, and abstaining from alcohol only lowers them by 1.6 mg/dL. A total of 211 participants remained free of gout attacks over a five-year follow-up period after discontinuing medication.
Cost
Allopurinol costs only a few to several dozen yuan per mon…
Benefit
This is a randomized controlled trial with 517 adult participants who had experienced gout attacks within the…