Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
Each year, thousands of people in our communities are diagnosed with a chronic condition. In 2017, almost 3 out of 4 people over the age of 12 had a chronic disease in Newfoundland and Labrador (2018, The Way Forward, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, pg. 3.)
Many of those diagnosed with chronic diseases are hospitalized.
The good news is that chronic conditions can be prevented and managed.
Eastern Health has a coordinated, systematic approach to effective chronic disease prevention and management (CDPM) that will positively impact the health status of individuals and communities. Learn more the Comprehensive Respiratory Care (CRC) and the BETTER program.
What is chronic disease?
Illnesses, diseases or conditions are classified as acute or chronic.
Acute illnesses or conditions begin quickly and last only a short time. People with an acute condition can expect to return to normal health. Examples are colds, the flu or broken bones just to name a few.
Chronic diseases (or long-term conditions):
- last a long time, they may last your whole lifetime;
- have many causes but they often share some common risk factors;
- usually begin slowly and develop gradually over time;
- can occur at any age, although they become more common in later life;
- can impact quality of life and limit daily activities; and,
- require ongoing actions on a long-term basis to manage the disease, with involvement from individuals, health-care providers and the community.
Examples of chronic diseases:
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Lung disease
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Cancer
- Hepatitis B and C
- HIV/AIDS
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)
- Schizophrenia
- Parkinson’s disease