Introduction to Chronic Conditions

Question 1

Chronic Conditions

Answer 1

Many people with chronic conditions have more than one – i.e. they experience multimorbidity – the presence of 2 or more chronic conditions at the same time

Question 2

Chronic Conditions Facts

Answer 2

• Have complex and multiple causes
• May affect individuals alone or as multi/ co-morbidities
• Occur across the lifecycle, although become more prevalent with age
• Can compromise QoL and create limitations and disability
• Are long term and persistent, often leading to gradual deterioration of health and independence
• While not usually immediately life threatening, are the most common and leading cause of premature mortality

Question 3

10 Major Chronic Condition Groups

Answer 3

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Back pain
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Mental health
• Osteoporosis

Question 4

Why These 10 Major Groups?

Answer 4

they are common, pose significant health problems, have been the focus of ongoing AIHW surveillance efforts and in many instances, action can be taken to prevent their occurrence

Question 5

Condition

Answer 5

• Least specific
• Referring to states of health considered normal or healthy but with implications for health care (i.e. pregnancy is not an illness, but there is often input from the health service)
• Referring to grades of health (i.e. stable, critical +serious)
• Referring to the presence of pathology (in this case can be further classified into disease or disorder)
• Relatively value-neutral

Question 6

Disease

Answer 6

• General use – when referring to conditions affecting the physical system (i.e. neurological disease)
• Specific use – in reference to a specific neurological disease (i.e. Alzheimer’s)
• Most commonly used when referring to a condition that has specific characteristics (a condition of the… body or one of it’s parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms)
• Some definitions require structural change as a cause of impaired function
• Aetiology, pathology or prognosis may be unclear or unknown
• Not value neutral (i.e. can be associated with stigma as in the case of some infectious diseases e.g. HIV, AIDs, COVID-19, STIs + tuberculosis

Question 7

Disorder

Answer 7

• Any abnormal physical or mental condition
• Usually a ‘weaker’ term than disease and may not imply structural change
• May not be most appropriate in referring to functional rather than structural impairment
• Relatively value-neutral

Question 8

Risk Factors

Answer 8

Some risk factors for chronic conditions (and therefore burden of disease) are modifiable (smoking) and others aren’t (genetics)
Modifiable risk factors contribute more to the gradient of health than non-modifiable risk factors

Question 9

The Risk Factors Contributing to the Highest Burden Were:

Answer 9

tobacco use, overweight, dietary risks, high blood pressure and alcohol use