Laura_88

Hiya,

I'm a newbie to the forum, having googled the healthcare system in China.

I am considering taking on a science teaching position in September and wondered if there was anyone out there with experience of both teaching in China and the healthcare system there.

I am a "brittle asthmatic" and currently my asthma is out of control - mostly due to the weather and high pollen count in the UK. Recently I have had a few "severe acute exacerbations of asthma" which have required hospital admissions.

If in China, how would I be treated, and would "inclusive healthcare insurance" cover any exacerbations of asthma?

Thanks,

Laura

Mipik

I would suggest you change your plans.

You did not say where you are planning to live but air pollution in China ranges from bad to worse. Hard to imagine that this will agree with asthma.

China has a decent healthcare system when you can afford it but hospital stays shall be avoided.

bakedbean

Hi Laura and welcome to the forum

Mipik, does the whole of China have bad pollution?

Mipik

All of the cities do.

There are a lot of places in China with very little polution but that's generally due to lack of people living in the area.

bakedbean

Thanks Mipik. Interesting.

britinchina

Laura, I have experience of teaching in China and my wife will give birth here in a few days so yes the healthcare system too!

China is huge. Where is the job located? I've been to about 30 cities here from Business/Travel so could give you some advice if you can give us a bit more detail.

Overall the air quality in China is shocking as Mipik said but it does vary a lot. If you are really serious about coming to China try to visit for a week or two before you move here permanently. It may be expensive but definitely worth it. If not just simply choose somewhere with better air quality - Korea and Japan have lots of Teaching opportunities I believe.

The International hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing are quite good from what I hear but will cost you an arm and a leg. I not exactly sure what is and what isn't covered on various insurance policies but in a nutshell the Chinese healthcare system is a few decades behind the NHS.

Having said all this China is an extremely interesting place but very like Marmite (love it or hate it!). Most of the time I love it. That's why I'm still here after 5 years.

Good luck whatever you decide!

bejarano

If you have bad asthma, I would forget China, the best jobs that pay the most are in the megatropolises anyway where the air quality is poor.

Dubaiexile

If you have Asthma quite bad, be very careful with the Insurance Policy as sometimes what they call pre-conditions will not be covered, and that would lead to having to pay!!
Dalian is a very clean modern city with good air quality, as I have asthma I avoid Beijing.
Good luck

bakedbean

So you're saying that Mipik was incorrect?

LangWiz

What your health care plan covers depends on your health care plan. You would need private health insurance, which your employer should cover (if it is a good one).
If you want international standard hospitals then Beijing and Shanghai are your best options as that is where health care services are the best.
I have several friends with asthma in Beijing and they do not seem to have any problems.

Razakhtar

I have asthma and have been living outside beijing for a year.
My advice would be to make sure you bring medication with you. I have found my asthma has been ok, but when I have used chinese inhalers I have had problems breathing.

uk_vette

.
.
Many of the coastal cities, of which there are many ranging in size, have sea breeze, and very low pollution.

They are not all bad, that's for sure.

I lived in China for 4 years, only very recently returning to UK.

vette

uk_vette

.
This is correct.
The largest of China's cities pay the best rates.
Like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, to name just a few.
But also remember the flip-side, that often you will be no better off, as the costs associated are also far higher.

Many of the smaller cities are very beautiful, with minimal pollution.
Let me direct you to Yantai, in Shandong Prov.
The uni has one of its gates, leading almost directly out onto the beach.

Yantai uni = Paste this into Google maps ---> 37.478783,121.45522

Lovely new university, which has doubled the size of the old Yantai uni, (can't remember what it's called now though)

Spent some very happy times there doing various teaching and seminar work.

Another very beautiful old English place is Weihai, again, a very prety city.

vette

3xp4t

Hi Laura

I have been in China for six years now and my asthma hasn't caused me any real problems.

On the plus side, you don't need a prescription to buy Ventolin inhalers over the counter at the pharmacy, and they only cost about 20-25 renminbi each, so you can make sure that you are always well stocked without having to argue with a doctor or spend a fortune.

The downside to China, if you're heading to a big city, is that the air quality can be poor, and if you opt for a small city the hospitals are atrocious. So I would recommend somewhere coastal that isn't too big. Someone mentioned a couple of nice cities in Shandong and I would be prone to agree.

One other factor you may want to bear in mind is that almost everybody smokes. It doesn't sound too sinister, but when you're out to dinner in a small, private room, as is often the case, you will find that you are engulfed in second hand smoke for the duration of the evening. Not ideal for an asthmatic, but it's a culture thing and not likely to change in a hurry.

Give China a go. If it doesn't agree with you for any reason, there are plenty more countries in the world. But if this is your first venture working in a foreign country, I'll think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Students and parents in China actually respect teachers and I have found the whole experience has been very rewarding, which is why my one-year career break has lasted for six years so far.

Best wishes and good luck !!

uk_vette

Many of the smaller cities are very beautiful, with minimal pollution.
Let me direct you to Yantai, in Shandong Prov.
The uni has one of its gates, leading almost directly out onto the beach.

Yantai uni = Paste this into Google maps ---> 37.478783,121.45522

Lovely new university, which has doubled the size of the old Yantai uni, (can't remember what it's called now though)

Spent some very happy times there doing various teaching and seminar work.

Another very beautiful old English place is Weihai, again, a very prety city.

vette