Chronic Disease Epidemic

Extracted Attributes

• Definition

  A widespread health crisis characterized by a high prevalence of long-term health conditions.

• Prevalence (US)

  Affects 50% of the population.

• Common Conditions

  Cancer, respiratory conditions, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer disease, COPD, depressive disorder, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, CKD, asthma, obesity.

• Contributing Factors

  Shifts in lifestyle related to diet, smoking, physical activity, and alcohol use.

• Prevalence (US, 2023)

  Nearly 60 percent of American adults live with at least one chronic condition.

• Healthcare Expenditure (US)

  Consumes 86% of health care expenditures.

• Annual Healthcare Costs (US)

  Accounts for ninety percent of the $4.5 trillion annual health care costs.

• Projected Prevalence (US, 2050)

  The number of individuals with chronic illness is projected to nearly double.

Timeline

• An epidemiologic transition occurred from infectious diseases to noncommunicable (chronic) diseases. (Source: Web Search Results)

  Early 1900s

• Chronic disease emerged as a new and dominating health problem, reaching epidemic proportions. (Source: Web Search Results)

  1960s

• Nearly 60 percent of American adults live with at least one chronic condition. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2023

• The number of individuals with chronic illness in the US is projected to nearly double. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2050

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discusses his 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda to combat the Chronic Disease Epidemic on the All-In Podcast. (Source: User Summary, Related Documents)

  Undated

Chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), sometimes called zombie deer disease, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting deer. TSEs are a family of diseases caused by misfolded proteins called prions and include similar diseases such as BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, and scrapie in sheep. Natural infection causing CWD affects members of the deer family. In the United States, CWD affects mule deer, white-tailed deer, red deer, sika deer, elk, bison, antelope, caribou, and moose. The transmission of CWD to other species such as squirrel monkeys and humanized mice has been observed in experimental settings. In 1967, CWD was first identified in mule deer at a government research facility in northern Colorado, United States. It was initially recognized as a clinical "wasting" syndrome and then in 1978, it was identified more specifically as a TSE disease. Since then, CWD has been found in free-ranging and captive animal populations in 33 US states and five Canadian provinces. In addition, CWD has been found in one Minnesota red deer farm, one wild reindeer herd in Norway (March 2016) as well as in wild moose. Single cases of CWD in moose have been found in Finland (March 2018) and in Sweden (March and May 2019, September 2020). CWD was found in South Korea in some deer imported from Canada. CWD is typified by chronic weight loss and clinical signs compatible with brain lesions, aggravated over time, always leading to death. Although reports in the popular press have been made of humans being affected by CWD, as of 2004 a study for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that, "[m]ore epidemiologic and laboratory studies are needed to monitor the possibility of such transmissions". A 2019 study added that "the potential exists for transmission to humans and subsequent human disease". The epidemiological study further concluded, "as a precaution, hunters should avoid eating deer and elk tissues known to harbor the CWD agent (e.g., brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes) from areas where CWD has been identified". In April 2024, it was revealed that two men from the same hunting group contracted Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, prompting medical researchers to speculate transmission had occurred from consuming CWD-positive venison.

Web Search Results

• Combating America's Chronic Disease Epidemic

  John's story is not unique. Six out of 10 Americans have one chronic disease and four out of 10 have two or more chronic diseases that account for ninety percent of the $4.5 trillion annual health care costs in the nation. Reducing this burden is critical for saving lives and reducing morbidity, lost productivity, and health care costs. Yet, effectively combating the nation's chronic disease epidemic necessitates prioritization and significant investment in addressing (PDF) all the contributing [...] The nation's high burden of chronic disease is juxtaposed against its place as a leader in understanding the root causes of these conditions and the best ways to prevent and treat them. In order to combat America's chronic disease epidemic related policies need to be rooted in research and scientific evidence produced by the United States and other nations. Research is needed to identify the most cost-effective solutions so that investments in health and health care produce improved health [...] Effectively combating the nation's chronic disease epidemic necessitates prioritization and significant investment in addressing all the contributing factors.

• The Relation of the Chronic Disease Epidemic to the Health Care ...

  Sixty years ago, a new and dominating health problem emerged: chronic disease. It has now reached epidemic proportions, affecting 50% of the population and consuming 86% of health care expenditures. The fundamental responsibility of the medical profession is to create a health care system and a practice of medicine that meet the needs of current illnesses and patients. The profession has not done so. The forces that block it are not blind forces. They are decisions made by people, primarily the [...] grown by a steady 7 to 8 million people every 5 years. Today, chronic disease affects 50% of the population, and its care consumes more than 85% of health care costs 3. It has become an epidemic. [...] My professional life, which began in 1955, has witnessed a steadily growing health care crisis: absent or unequal access to care for many, inadequate or poor care for others, and exploding costs of care. In parallel, the clinical training of physicians has not met society's emerging or future needs but rather has served to perpetuate its past. Over the same years, many forces have impacted health care, bending it to their interests—drug and insurance industries, medical associations, social

• The Burden of Chronic Disease - PMC

  The epidemiology of preventable chronic diseases such as cancer, respiratory conditions, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke is deeply affected by shifts and changes in lifestyle related to diet, smoking, physical activity, and alcohol use. It is evident that these behaviors also effect the development of Alzheimer disease and other dementias.51 In addition, large percentages of individuals are burdened with multiple chronic conditions, further complicating health care and health [...] Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer are some of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States.1 This has been true since the early 1900s when there was an epidemiologic transition from infectious disease to noncommunicable diseases.2 This transition was partly due to improved nutrition, sanitation, and other public health successes and medical technology and innovation. Since 1950, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United [...] The COVID-19 pandemic represented a major disruption to health care and disproportionately affected people with chronic diseases. Older age, having a chronic disease (ie, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity), or having some of the risk factors for chronic disease (smoking and inactivity) put people at elevated risk for severe morbidity and mortality.8 In addition, during the pandemic, people stopped or delayed health care.37 Partly, this was because of fear of contracting COVID-19, but

• Trends in Multiple Chronic Conditions Among US Adults, By ... - CDC

  13. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases. December 23, 2024. Accessed June 17, 2024. 14. Harris RE. Global epidemiology of chronic diseases: the epidemiologic transition. In: Harris RE, ed. _Epidemiology of Chronic Disease: Global Perspectives_. 1st ed. Jones and Bartlett Learning; 2012:1–21. [...] cancer (cancer); COPD; depressive disorder (depression); diabetes (excluding during pregnancy only); heart attack, angina, or coronary heart disease (heart disease); high blood pressure; high cholesterol; CKD; or stroke. Additionally, current asthma and obesity (body mass index ≥30.0, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared from self-reported weight and height) were included as chronic conditions.

• Primer: Chronic Disease Among Adults in the United States - AAF

  The following graph presents trends in the prevalence of selected chronic diseases in the U.S. adult population from 2011 to 2023, revealing both the steady rise of conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease and the relative stability of others such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. [...] Chronic disease remains a persistent and consequential challenge facing the U.S. health care system, driving both mortality and long-term care needs. As of 2023, nearly 60 percent of American adults live with at least one chronic condition, and the number of individuals with chronic illness is projected to nearly double by 2050. Conditions such as heart disease and cancer have consistently ranked as the leading causes of death, while others such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and kidney disease [...] continue to grow in prevalence and complexity. Although reported growth in chronic diseases may reflect factors beyond an absolute increase, given chronic disease’s clinical burden and fiscal impact chronic diseases are likely to remain a central focus of U.S. health policy for the foreseeable future.