Chronic disease

What is a chronic disease?

The U.S. Nation Center for Health Statistics defines "chronic disease" as a disease lasting 3 or more months. Chronic diseases are often complex and incurable. Chronic diseases are rare in the young but frequently found in the older population. As people age, they often acquire one or more chronic diseases.

Some common chronic diseases are cancer, strokes, and arthritis. Obesity is another major chronic disease especially prevalent in underserved populations. Chronic diseases, such as those listed here, are frequently hard to treat and rarely leave on their own.