Chronic Illness & Long Term Care
Chronic diseases, also called non-communicable diseases, cannot be passed from person to person, they last long and progress slowly (WHO, “non-communicable diseases”). Chronic diseases can also be defined as:Chronic Illness & Long Term Care
A disease that persists for a long time. A chronic disease is one lasting three months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear (Medicine.net, “the definition of chronic diseases”). According to World Health Organization (WHO), chronic diseases can be grouped into four main types: cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and diabetes.
Chronic diseases cannot be cured. They can only be managed. Chronic diseases are a strain on the patient and their families both physically and psychologically. Moreover, chronic diseases and conditions are among the most common, expensive and preventable of all health issues (CDC: chronic disease overview). It is considered to cause disability among patients. People faced with these diseases have to contend with it their whole lives. It takes a massive toll on their social, recreational and occupational lives, making it a bread-winner of a family suffering from any of these diseases would send the family into economic crisis. Patients with chronic conditions often have to adjust their lifestyle, employment, and aspirations; most grieve about it before adjusting (Kelly & Turner 124).
Of all the chronic diseases listed either by WHO or the CDC, the most common is diabetes mellitus, which is a disease characterized by increased level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, widely known as hyperglycemia. There are different types of diabetes mellitus, but the main classifications are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. About 10% of people have type 1 diabetes in which the beta cells do not produce insulin due to autoimmune destruction. As a result, such people need insulin injections to control their blood glucose level. They present with a myriad of clinical symptoms such as increased urination, increased hunger, rapid weight loss. If this non-communicable disease is not controlled correctly, it can lead to more severe consequences like limb loss, loss of eyesight, coma or even death. Since this disease is more associated with children and young adults, living a ‘normal’ life is far away from them. They have to adapt to specific diets, take routine tests. This health condition can lead to confidence loss and social isolation. People with chronic diseases often face depressions. Moreover, “Physical symptoms such as disturbed sleep, impaired appetite, and lack of energy may already exist as a result of the disease” (Kelly & Turner 125).Chronic Illness & Long Term Care