Heart disease. Cancer. Diabetes. 

These are just a few examples of chronic illnesses that affect millions of people. In fact, according to the CDC six out of 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease, while four out of 10 live with two or more. In other words, if you don’t have a chronic disease, you likely know someone who does.

To help bring attention to this issue, groups such as the Chronic Disease Coalition, The National Health Council, Chronic Care Collaborative and others have created chronic disease awareness campaigns. Their goal is to give patients a voice, spread advocacy for higher quality and more equitable care, and educate the public on ways to prevent chronic disease. 

Chronic diseases – defined broadly as conditions that last one year or more and require ongoing medical attention – are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and the biggest driver of the nation’s increasing health care costs. Some additional examples of chronic diseases include:

• Alzheimer’s 

• Kidney disease

• High blood pressure 

• Arthritis

• Depression

• High cholesterol

As more people get diagnosed each year, the strain on an already taxed healthcare system grows. As a result, chronic illness sufferers are at risk of not getting the preventive care they need – thus compounding the problem.

Prevention

One of the most obvious ways to lessen the impacts of chronic disease is to try and prevent them. Many chronic diseases are caused by lifestyle behaviors. By making healthy choices, you can reduce your likelihood of getting a chronic disease and improve your quality of life.

The Center for Disease Control offers the following top four ways to preventing chronic diseases:

1. Quit smoking – If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, get the support you need to quit for good. Quitting smoking lowers your risk of heart disease, lung disease, cancer, and other smoking-related illnesses. Talk to your primary care doctor about smoking cessation medications and other methods to help you quit.

2. Eat healthy – People with healthy eating patterns live longer and have less risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. This means limiting added sugar, saturated fats and sodium from your diet. Instead, focus on eating vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

3. Be active – Physical activity or exercise is proven to reduce the risk of developing several chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. You don’t have to over-exercise, either. Just 30 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your risk.

4. Limit drinking – Excessive alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and various cancers. 

In addition to the above, seeing your primary care doctor on a regular basis is an important part of prevention. If you have a family history of chronic disease, you may develop the disease yourself before having any symptoms. That’s why it’s important for your doctor to have an updated and comprehensive family medical history, so they can help you take the steps you need to prevent these conditions or catch them early.

Improve care for chronic disease patients

Aside from prevention, the next best thing is chronic disease management. This not only extends and improves a person’s life, but will also help to drive down costs associated with healthcare spending. However, there is much to be done in this arena.

A person’s ability to engage in healthy behaviors, access healthcare and keep diseases under control has long been tied to their social or economic status, geographic location and environment. Federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations, local communities and healthcare providers are all actively engaged in efforts to reduce health disparities, but there is a long way to go.

HealthTap is doing its part to help those with chronic disease or at risk of developing chronic disease by putting accessible, affordable, quality care at every American’s fingertips. HealthTap CEO and co-founder Sean Merha saw the scalability of technology as a way to fundamentally change the way care is delivered – ultimately improving access to healthcare for all. 

Are you looking for a new primary care doctor? At HealthTap, we believe in the importance of having a long-term relationship with your doctor. Schedule an appointment today and discover how your HealthTap primary care doctor can help you prevent, detect and navigate chronic disease.