Reliable publications on the burden of disease and causes of death in Tibet are difficult to find. The goal of this three-year proposal from Tibet University Medical College is to systematically map the occurrence and patterns of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors in Tibet. There will be special attention focused on asthma prevalence. This project will also lead to increased local, national, and international cooperation in identifying public health needs in Tibet, build research capacity at TUMC, and help develop excellence in public health. Two papers will be published on non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors in the high attitude population of TAR and a systematic review of the prevalence of childhood asthma in Tibet and China from 1988 to 2007. Data analysis and systematic literature research will be conducted to obtain the necessary information for the two papers, and two reports concerning the priority areas of public health research and competence and the infrastructural needs for building a public health unit at TUMC will be published. The results will be disseminated in two review articles submitted to the Lancet and will help identify and report priority areas of public health research and competence and infrastructural needs of a Public Health Unit at TUMC. The principal investigator for this project is Professor Deji.