Job Discussion Forums

[kaiokena]

Hey there,

I'm 29, non-smoker, and just had a chest x-ray in preparation for my Z visa so I can teach in Shenzhen.

Though, I've been told I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It must be in the early stages as I feel fine. Non-contagious ... perhaps they just screen for TB?

This will show up when I do my chest x-ray again in China... and my doctor has had to disclose it on my visa application form.

Do you think it will affect my application?

I tried contacting the Chinese embassy in Australia but they had no idea and said it would depend on the bureau in Shenzhen...

[creeper1]

I don't think any of us are privy to what constitutes grounds to refuse a residence permit based on health.

The only way may be to give it a go and see what they say.

Btw are you sure you want to come to China? It can only make this lung complaint of yours worse.

[kaiokena]

[LarssonCrew]

Literally no clean cities, I've never been to a city less polluted than say London or New York.

I was not refused a visa for diabetes but that doesn't show up on any tests they do.

[creeper1]

Of course you are not going to get a city compararable to New York or London in China in terms of aqi. Developing countries tend to have polluted cities.

Shenzhen is one of the cleaner major cities in my opinion. But you'll need to check the aqi over a period of time.

Generally you want to avoid the north where in winter time they burn inordinate amounts of coal for their winter heating.

And hebei province. Avoid that province at all costs.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

What did your physician say when he saw your x-ray. I don't think COPD shows up on an X-ray.

You did have a medical exam at home, right?

[creeper1]

How did you get this ailment? It seems strange someone so young could have this.

Also what is the prognosis?

[Non Sequitur]

I doubt you will get an offer letter if it's an issue. As to whether they will turn down your residence application apropos the in-country medical exam, I don't know.
Best thing is to be totally upfront and have your Dr complete the medical questionnaire with specific comment on your condition.
What I do know is that if you take out health cover via PICC the cover will exclude anything related to the condition.

[jimpellow]

I think an x-ray is one tool used to detect COPD as part of a several tool process. If it is early stage the doctor could hopefully omit it, and the Chinese will very likely never detect it with their standardized process.

They will most likely tell you that you have a fat tumor-laden liver. But then shrug it off as all foreign devils do.

It would seem odd that you would be refused for COPD as it is now a leading cause of mortality in China, and the government does not seem too overtly concerned about it as it would highlight the pollution issue.

In most parts of Yunnan you can still see the shy and the bottom of a six inch stream.

[Non Sequitur]

Yeah the old 'fatty liver' thing.

[LarssonCrew]

I always thought you were only refused for diseases you could pass onto others, so you should be fine

[creeper1]

No. I don't think only infectious diseases are a problem.

If someone gets sick it would be burden and a drain on resources to treat that person.

MOD EDIT

[Greg 09]

OP, don't worry about it at all. My first med exam for China showed COPD and the doc put his comments (early stage) down on the form. No problem at all. That was seven years and seven med exams ago. I even got a dose of pneumonia my second year and was hospitalized, which the school insurance company paid for.

[Shanghai Noon]

You get medical exams done every year?

[Greg 09]

Yep, required for contract renewal. You don't?