Chronic Health Disease

Chronic Health Disease

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002) definition; chronic diseases are diseases characterized by their permanency and their capacity of leaving residual disability. These diseases are caused by non-reversible pathological alteration and do require special training of the patient for proper rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation or care. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW, 2001) lists twelve chronic diseases that have the greatest repercussions on the Australian health care system. They include coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, depression, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, oral diseases, arthritis and osteoporosis. Chronic Health Disease Essay Because of the increase of chronic disease cases there is an urgency to stop and reverse the ever rising threats of the ailments, another measure that needs to be embraced is the dismissal of the elongated misunderstandings about these diseases.

A conceptual framework provided by the Chronic Care Model (CCM) is therefore useful for understanding the elements considered essential for the management of chronic disease and the interplay between the elements (Zwar, 2009). (wafula, 1999) However, not all of the elements of the Chronic Care Model can be assessed experimentally for their effectiveness or efficiency and this is illustrated by the lack of research evidence to support the role of health care organizations and community resources. Significant of the evidence presented in this critical analysis refers to the management of adults with type 2 diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and may not be applicable to all chronic diseases. Therefore this paper is going to discuss the issue of chronic disease based on early detection and early treatment of a chronic disease based on the Australian government’s 2005 national chronic disease strategy. The paper will touch on the issues about prevention across the continuum, early detection and early treatment, integration and continuity of prevention and care and self management measures. it will then conclude by showing what needs to be embraced in trying to mitigate this diseases.Chronic Health Disease Essay

Prevention across the continuum

Significant gains can be made by focusing on the risk factors that underlie chronic disease in a systematic and well-integrated manner. The range of risk factors amenable to intervention can be broadly grouped into two categories, behavioral and social risk factors, and biomedical risk factors (NCDS, 2005).

Cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and type 2 diabetes have common and modifiable risk factors, notably high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and obesity/overweight. They are also linked by three related major behavioural risk factors, namely unhealthy diet, physical activity and tobacco use. Psychosocial health can also impact on chronic diseases, including for peoples capacity to maintain healthy lifestyle approaches. Making an early diagnosis is the key to optimizing prognosis. This is as per the National Chronic Disease Strategy which states that:Chronic Health Disease Essay

Australia’s health system must be able to respond in an appropriate and cost effective way to this challenge. Failure to prevent, detect and treat chronic disease at an optimal stage in its course impacts on affected individuals and their families and cares in terms of pain and suffering, and on the whole Australian community in productivity losses and high health care costs (National Health Priority Action Council 2006).

Early detection and early treatment

In Australia Not all chronic diseases are detected as early as possible. It is estimated for example, that only half of the people with Type 2 Diabetes are actually diagnosed and receiving treatment (AIHW, 2004). Furthermore, many chronic diseases are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease which can compromise overall health outcomes of an individual.Chronic Health Disease Essay

According to NCDS (2005) undetected, undiagnosed and untreated chronic disease can reflect, Lack of knowledge or poor health literacy by consumers about the risks and/or symptoms of a chronic disease, lack of recognition and the appropriate follow up response by health care providers to the risk factors for chronic disease and the manifestation or symptoms of disease, and Poor access to, or use of, health care interventions (i.e. both diagnostic and treatment) at the asymptomatic and symptomatic stages. Early detection and early treatment, where appropriate, can offer significant benefits at both an individual and population level and is a critical area in which to identify practical approaches under the NCDS.

For instance, Timothy (2009) said that early detection of chronic kidn