The profile of diseases contributing most heavily to death, illness, and disability among Americans changed dramatically during the last century. Today, chronic diseases—such as cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke), cancer, and diabetes—are among the most prevalent, costly, and preventable of all health problems. Seven of every 10 Americans who die each year, or more than 1.7 million people, die of a chronic disease.
The prolonged course of illness and disability from such chronic diseases as diabetes, asthma, and arthritis results in extended pain and suffering and decreased quality of life for millions of Americans. Chronic, disabling conditions cause major limitations in activity for more than one in every 10 Americans, or 25 million people.
For a overview of chronic disease from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
The following documents provide an overview of chronic disease in Vermont: