What are chronic conditions?
The National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions uses the term chronic conditions to describe a broad range of health conditions, including:
- chronic and complex health conditions
- mental illness
- trauma
- disability
- genetic disorders.
Chronic conditions:
- have complex and multiple causes
- may occur as a single condition in a person, or along with other diseases (comorbidity)
- usually progress gradually
- can occur at any age, although they are more common as people get older
- can affect quality of life
- can create limitations and disability
- are not usually immediately life-threatening, but can shorten life expectancy.
Because of better treatments and management plans, people are living longer with chronic conditions.
Types of chronic conditions
There are many types of chronic conditions that affect Australians’ health. The links below contain information about conditions that we are addressing with current action plans and programs.
- cancer – see what we’re doing about it
- cardiovascular conditions – see what we’re doing about them
- chronic eye conditions – see what we’re doing about them
- diabetes – see what we’re doing about it
- endometriosis – see what we’re doing about it
- kidney disease – see what we’re doing about it
- musculoskeletal conditions – see what we’re doing about them
- neurological conditions – see what we’re doing about them
- rare diseases – see what we’re doing about them
- lung and respiratory conditions – see what we’re doing about them
- other chronic conditions – see what we’re doing about them
Information on other chronic conditions is available at healthdirect.
Why are chronic conditions important?
Chronic conditions are very common. Half of all Australians have at least 1 of the 8 major chronic conditions that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare regularly reports on (arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and mental health conditions).
Many chronic conditions are not life threatening in the short term. However, they can worsen over time and become more serious. Chronic conditions can lower your quality of life and may affect your independence.
See more information about chronic conditions in Australia.