Chronic Diseases: Introduction
What's the difference between an infectious disease and a chronic disease?
In this section, we will examine chronic diseases. These diseases are sometimes called lifestyle diseases, or environmental diseases, because they are associated with lifestyle or environmental factors, rather than being transmitted by infection. Chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, are not contagious.
Chronic diseases are caused by three important factors:
- A genetic pre-disposition for that disease
- Poor lifestyle choices
- Environmental factors that can influence these diseases
Chronic diseases are ongoing or recurring diseases. They are generally not "cured," though surgery and medication can be effective in managing them. Many chronic diseases are preventable; therefore it is important that we understand how the choices we make can affect the risk of contracting them.
