Health initiative promotes co-prevention of diabetes and shingles for healthy aging

A nationwide health campaign was launched to address the growing challenge of chronic diseases among aging adults in China to raise awareness and promote early intervention against chronic diseases, with a focus on shingles—a painful infection that poses serious risks to people with diabetes.

The program, led by China CDC, CCTV.com, and the National Open University for the Elderly, offers free health education targeting adults aged 50 and above. It urged to tackle shingles, a frequently overlooked but debilitating disease, as part of broader efforts to achieve healthy aging.

Shingles, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is characterized by intense pain often described as burning, electric, stabbing, or tearing. More than 90 percent of adults carry the dormant virus, and about one in three will develop shingles in their lifetime. Adults over 50 and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes are at significantly higher risk.

China currently has over 230 million people living with diabetes, while more than 6 million shingles cases are reported annually. With a rapidly aging population, the overlap between diabetes and shingles is expected to grow, straining public health resources.

"High-risk groups should adopt the mindset that prevention is better than cure," said Fan Bifa, director of the pain department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital. "Vaccination offers a proactive way to reduce the threat of shingles," he said.

However, many patients and families focus solely on blood sugar control, overlooking the broader impact of diabetes on the immune system. Long-term high blood sugar weakens immune function and damages nerves and blood vessels, creating openings for infections. Studies indicate that people with diabetes have up to a 60% higher risk of developing shingles.

Guo Xiaohui, Chief of Endocrinology at Peking University First Hospital, urged a shift toward "co-prevention and co-management" of diabetes and related conditions. "We must integrate risk assessment and preventive measures—such as vaccination—into routine diabetes care, especially when blood sugar is stable," she said.

Addressing this challenge requires a coordinated public health strategy as well. Collaboration between community health services and clinical systems is crucial to move prevention efforts closer to residents.

Lin Caiwei, director of Zizhuyuan community health center in Beijing's Haidian District, emphasized the role of community doctors in providing tailored health guidance. "We encourage older adults, especially those with diabetes, to consult their local health centers for personalized advice, including vaccination to help prevent shingles," he said.