With the simultaneous outbreaks of monkeypox, polio, and COVID-19 straining healthcare systems, chronic diseases understandably go unnoticed. But as we continue to face the threat of ongoing infectious diseases, we need to build resilient healthcare systems that can respond to both public health emergencies and ongoing public health challenges.

Pre-pandemic, chronic illness was already a serious problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 6 of her adults have a chronic condition, and 4 out of 10 of her adults have 2 or more chronic conditions. doing. These include diabetes, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Chronic diseases account for 7 of the top 10 causes of death in the United States.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant direct and indirect impact on chronic disease through disruption of preventive care and disease management, and by contributing to high morbidity and mortality. Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, and obesity are all conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from COVID. We are also witnessing new chronic disease outbreaks due to “long-term COVID,” which affects nearly 1 of her 5 Americans.

A growing number of studies show that COVID can increase the risk of diabetes even months after infection. A Lancet study found that people infected with COVID were about 40% more likely to develop diabetes up to a year later than others in the control group. About 13 people in the COVID group were diagnosed with diabetes for every 1,000 people studied in each group. It’s more likely.

Several studies have also highlighted the pandemic as a barrier to cancer prevention and treatment. His 2021 study, published on the impact of the pandemic on cancer services in Louisiana and Georgia, found that cancer pathology reports were nearly 30,000 fewer than in 2019, down 10%. I was. Many people reported delaying or missing preventive care appointments in 2020 due to fear of exposure to the virus.

Unless we address the dual crisis of infectious disease threats like COVID and chronic diseases, each will continue to amplify the negative impacts of the other. This will only put additional strain on our health care system, ultimately creating barriers to other health care problems and reduced capacity to care.

Our healthcare system provides incentives to encourage payers, providers, employers, and individuals to better prevent, detect, treat, and manage chronic disease before it becomes a serious and costly problem. should be adjusted. This starts with increasing access to primary care physicians, removing barriers and completing integrated preventative care.

Primary care physicians are important in helping patients prevent and navigate chronic illness and providing referrals to other professionals who can help with the condition.

A quarter of adults and nearly half of adults under the age of 30 do not have a primary care doctor, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. This disparity in care is even more acute for minorities. His 2020 poll by the African American Research Collection found that blacks, Native Americans and Latinos reported less access to primary care physicians than whites.

One of the positive impacts of the pandemic has been the proliferation of telemedicine, especially for those living in rural areas and medical ‘deserts’. New technological advances may also expand the role telemedicine plays in providing home healthcare. Remote patient monitoring devices allow providers to remotely monitor patient progress and receive alerts if problems arise. To continue to enjoy the benefits of telemedicine, we need to make emergency approvals permanent and ensure equality of payments to healthcare providers. Equitable Internet access for all Americans is also necessary to reduce disparities in care.

Standardized, interoperable health data systems also help providers reduce inefficiencies and improve the health system’s ability to proactively identify risks and coordinate care.

By investing in new technology tools such as big data analytics and genomic testing, health care providers can conduct early outreach with a deeper understanding of how, why and where chronic diseases occur. , you can more effectively follow up, monitor and manage your patients at home. .

By investing in resilient health systems to address public health emergencies and chronic diseases, we can encourage healthy longevity for all.

Dr. William Haseltine is President of ACCESS Health International and will chair two expert panels. Metabesity 2022 Conference Learn how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic can prepare you to tackle the ongoing chronic disease epidemic.