7.8: Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases
There are other diseases and conditions that cannot be spread from one person (or animal) to another individual. These are called non-communicable diseases and include some of the leading causes of death for Americans: heart disease, cancers, diabetes, and chronic pulmonary diseases. Because these diseases often progress over long periods of time, they are also commonly referred to as chronic diseases. In fact, the beginning stages of many chronic diseases start as early as childhood, and are often highly influenced by lifestyle behaviors and environmental exposures. This also means that there is a lot of potential to reduce morbidity and mortality from these chronic diseases through effective public health programs. In this section we will discuss those four common chronic diseases and the risk factors associated with them, as well as public health responses.