China is facing significant challenges to care for increasing numbers of aging population, including insufficient funding resource, shortage of care givers, and underdeveloped care delivery system. Dr Peng’s research initially focused on the oldest Chinese aged 80 and above and then extend to old adults aged 60+. The main findings include, (1)the long-term care expenditure for the oldest Chinese will increase more than 4 times between 2010 to 2050; (2)although 97% of elders with ADL disabilities received at least some help, the prevalence of under met needs remained high, at 50% or higher; (3)the rate of institutionalization of Chinese elder adults increased from 0.5% in 2002 to 0.8% in 2011, and changes of health status were significant risk factors; (4) with increased availability of nursing home and community care, as well as the implementation of long-term care insurance, the caring and financial burdens for the family members were significantly reduced. 

Dr Peng is a professor of health economics at Guangdong University of Finance and Economics (GDUFE), China. She is an evaluation expert of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, council member of Statistical Society of Guangdong province, team leader of young scientific research and innovation team of GDUFE. She has a PhD in epidemiology and health statistics from Sun Yat-Sen University, China, a master degree in Probability and Mathematical Statistics, and a bachelor in applied mathematics. Her research has focused on long term care needs and financing, aged care service delivery system, combination of medical and aged care system, long term care insurance, and methods for longitudinal data analysis.