Chronic Illness

Illness refers to the personal experience of living with a biomedical disease that requires medical attention. Illness can be either acute, meaning the disease has a rapid onset and short duration, like influenza or gastroenteritis; or chronic, meaning the disease usually doesn’t resolve on its own, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or asthma. Chronic illness can result in decreased physical functioning, productivity, and overall quality of life.

Now, there are three levels of disease prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention looks at specific measures that can prevent a certain disease before it develops; and it includes health promotion efforts like encouraging healthy eating and exercise to prevent obesity, as well as protective measures like immunizations to prevent influenza, pneumonia, or COVID-19.

Next, secondary prevention is aimed at preventing disability or death by screening patients to detect disease early, such as mammograms to test for breast cancer or colonoscopies to detect colon cancer; and it includes providing prompt treatment if a disease is detected.

Then, tertiary prevention works to limit the impact of disease once a condition has already developed, such as cardiac rehabilitation for patients with heart disease or physical therapy for patients with spinal cord injuries.

So, when caring for your patient with chronic disease, begin by assessing their current health status by performing a physical assessment, noting any indications of disease progression. Then, ask them if they’re having any difficulty performing activities of daily living, or ADLs; such as bathing, toileting, and eating; as well as instrumental activities of daily living, or IADLs, such as preparing food, taking medications, and keeping their living space clean.