Integrated prevention and control of multiple major noncommunicable diseases: evolution of practice and strategy development

Multimorbidity poses challenges to conventional disease-specific prevention and control. Focusing on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, this article reviews the epidemiological characteristics of multimorbidity and the scientific basis for integrated prevention and control of multiple diseases, summarizes policy evolution in China and practical experience both in China and abroad, and proposes an integrated framework of "five coordinated services and four collaborative support mechanisms". The five coordinated services—prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation—span the continuum of care. The four collaborative support mechanisms—collaborative governance, operational alignment, shared responsibilities, and joint capacity building—strengthen governance, operations, financing, and capacity. Together, they establish an integrated pathway combining vertical coordination across the continuum of care with horizontal system mechanism support, providing a reference for comprehensive noncommunicable disease prevention and control and health management across the life course in China.