Revista de prevención y atención de la salud

Abstracto

Chronic illness as a function of your changed life circumstances

Marco Michael

Chronic or noncommunicable diseases have become the leading cause of death among adults in all countries. The number of these diseases is expected to increase by 17% over the next ten years. Globally, one in three people suffer from some disease. In the United States, four in ten people (or six in ten) suffer from two or more diseases. It is estimated that about 35 million of the 58 million deaths expected in 2005 will be caused by diseases. Unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, lack of activity, poor eating habits, and excessive alcohol consumption contribute greatly to the prevalence of these diseases. In the nations, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, cancers such as breast and colon cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and seizures, obesity, and oral health problems are among the common chronic diseases affecting older adults. The increasing incidence of diseases also poses a threat to public health, affecting communities and economies. Until recently, the true impact and nature of these diseases was not fully understood.