from Psychology, health and illness
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2014
The increase in chronic illness
Chronic illness is now the predominant disease pattern in most developed countries. Advances in medicine have transformed many previously deadly infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza into treatable conditions and some have disappeared almost completely. The resulting improved longevity of populations has meant a growth in the burden caused by chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Chronic illnesses often strike in middle- and older-age-groups and bring with them considerable difficulties in adjustment and coping which can severely compromise patients' quality of life. While chronic diseases do kill, most people diagnosed with a chronic illness will live for many years with their condition. Understanding and improving the process of coping with a chronic illness has become an important area of health care.
Adjustments required
The initial psychological adjustments following the diagnosis of a chronic disease generally involve issues related to a loss of function. Individuals at the stage of diagnosis confront the reality that their state of health and function of their body have changed, and are likely to remain impaired. The speed with which individuals confront this loss can be strongly influenced by the nature of the illness. With some chronic illnesses, such as heart disease which is diagnosed following a myocardial infarction, awareness of the presence of the disease is usually sudden. In other chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, the patient may be aware of their disease long before a formal diagnosis is made.
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