The Burden of Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer have been and continue to be some of the major causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality. A transition between infectious and noncommunicable diseases occurred in the early 1900s as a result of improved public health and has persisted ever since. Now, as individuals live longer, the prevalence and cost of chronic disease continue to grow. The estimated cost of chronic disease is expected to reach $47 trillion worldwide by 2030. Individual lifestyle and behaviors and community factors play important roles in the development and management of chronic diseases. Many of these conditions (diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory diseases) are…