Prepared by Dr. D. Sreenivasa Reddy Guest lecturer for MSW Dept.

of Studies in Social Work VSKUB PG Centre, Nadihalli Karnataka

CHRONIC DISEASES

CONCEPT:

Chronic Disease is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. Chronic illness affects the population worldwide. As described by the Centers for Disease Control, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. It accounts for 70% of all deaths in the U.S., which is 1.7 million

The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include asthma, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. In medicine, chronic unharmful diseases acute. A chronic course is further distinguished from a recurrent course; recurrent diseases relapse repeatedly, with periods of remission in between. While often referred to as "non-communicable diseases", also usually lasting medical conditions, the latter are distinguished by their noninfectious cause. In contrast, some chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, are caused by transmissible infections.

KEY CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Examples of chronic diseases and health conditions include: Acne (Acne vulgaris (or cystic acne) is a common human skin disease, characterized by areas of skin with seborrhea (scaly red skin), comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules (pinheads), pustules (pimples), Nodules (large papules) and possibly scarring) Classification and external resources

Autoimmune

diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, lupus erythematosus, Crohn's Disease and Coeliac Disease Blindness Cancer / neoplastic diseases not amenable to be cured Cardiovascular diseases: cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, ischemic cardiopathy Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) Chronic hepatitis

Chronic pain syndromes, such as postvasectomy pain syndrome Chronic osteoarticular diseases: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis Chronic renal failure Chronic respiratory diseases: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary hypertension Deafness and hearing impairment Diabetes mellitus Epilepsy Osteoporosis Sickle Cell Anemia and other haemoglobin disorders

Many chronic diseases require chronic care management for effective long-term treatment. Effective chronic disease control requires attention to social, behavioral, environmental & clinical aspects. Multiple morbidities can be common in older adults.

THE IMPACT OF CHRONIC DISEASE ON THE FAMILY

A chronic condition is a problem that lasts for a long time or one that will never go away, such as Parkinsons disease, AIDS, cancer, or Alzheimers disease. With the growing aging population, many more people will be touched by chronic disease conditions. Many more will need assistance with routine aspects of everyday life.

The responsibilities of caregiving, added to the routine pressures of maintaining a family and professional life, can naturally lead to stress. Stress, in turn, creates a ripple effect on the health and wellbeing of not only the caregiver, but everyone from family members to friends and co-workers.

EXTRA BURDENS
Living

with a chronic illnessand caring for a person with a chronic illnesscan lead to physical and emotional stress. The symptoms of this stress may look similar in both the person dealing with the condition and the caregiver. The symptoms include:

Anger, sometimes leading to physical violence Anxiety Denial Depression Dissatisfaction with life Exhaustion Guilt Irritability Stress-related physical conditions

For the person with the chronic condition, the level and type of stress may vary depending on the specific illness and its prognosis. Common causes of physical and emotional stress include: Changes in ability to work Changes in personal and professional relationships Physical changes and side effects Management of symptoms and medications Financial demands of healthcare needs