About 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