chronic illness

7 Stories

Life Expectancy Is Falling, and Maybe Not Why You Think

It's not the pandemic, gun violence, or opioids—it's chronic illness, explains the 'Washington Post'

(Newser) - Life expectancy in the US is going in the wrong direction . It peaked at 78.9 years back in 2014 and has been declining ever since, with the most recent figure at 76.4 years. You can't blame the pandemic, because the trend was in place well before that,...

Americans Living Longer, but Also Living Sicker
Americans Living Longer,
but Also Living Sicker
in case you missed it
Dec 15, 2012 7:00 PM CST

Americans Living Longer, but Also Living Sicker

Report finds we're increasingly living with chronic illnesses

(Newser) - The good news: A new report shows that Americans are living longer. The bad news: They're doing so while suffering from more chronic illnesses. The 2012 America's Health Rankings find that, while there are fewer heart disease and cancer deaths, there are more people living with obesity, diabetes,...

Oregon Tests New Approach to Health Insurance

Proven treatments are almost free, while others cost a bundle

(Newser) - A new type of insurance being tried out in Oregon has a great upside: free treatment for common maladies like diabetes or depression that have proven treatments. But if you wade into muddier or more elective treatments that critics say are overused, like knee replacement or bypass surgery, it’ll...

Men More Likely to Abandon Sick Partners

Seven times as many women stay when serious illness strikes

(Newser) - Relationships fail seven times more often when illness strikes the female partner than when it strikes the man. Researchers don't know why, but theories abound: “There is an immediate shift in a relationship when an illness is diagnosed,” a counselor tells the Times of London. Gender roles change...

Divorce May Permanently Damage Health

(Newser) - The end of a marriage means the end of good health for many people, a new study finds. Researchers discovered that people who lost a spouse, whether through divorce or death, were roughly 20% more likely to suffer chronic health problems even if they later remarried, HealthDay reports. The scientists...

Worst Chronic Disease Is Depression

Docs tie better mental health treatment to better overall health

(Newser) - Depression is more debilitating than diabetes, asthma, arthritis, or angina—and people suffering from chronic illness and depression are in worse health than those diagnosed with any other combination of diseases, the BBC reports. "These results indicate the urgency of addressing depression as a public health priority," says...

Skipping Meds Can Be Deadly
Skipping Meds Can Be Deadly
Jul 31, 2007 5:31 AM CDT

Skipping Meds Can Be Deadly

Half of patients undermine health by skipping doses, quitting medication

(Newser) - Half of all patients with chronic illnesses don't take their medication as prescribed, says a new report, undermining their health and hastening their death. Patients with illnesses like heart disease and asthma often skip doses, misunderstand prescriptions or drop medication as soon as they feel better. The result is  more...

7 Stories