STATISTA: CHRNOIC HEALTH
by Katharina Buchholz,
Oct 18, 2024
A majority of people surveyed for Statista Consumer Insights in the United States stated that they lived with a physical limitation or chronic illness. Less than a third of respondents said this was not the case. The most widespread among chronic conditions are mental illnesses such as burnout or depression, which 34 percent of survey participants said they suffered from. Cardiovascular diseases follow in second place at 15 percent of respondents saying they had them. Diabetes and respiratory diseases are also widespread. Blindness or vision impairment still ranged in the double digits at 10 percent, twice as many as the share of respondents with deafness or hearing loss.
You will find more infographics at StatistaThe incidence of depression in conjunction with chronic disease varies depending on the condition:
50% of patients with Parkinson’s
42% of patients diagnosed with cancer
39% of patients with neurological disorders
23% of people who’ve had a cerebrovascular event, like stroke
17% of people who have cardiovascular disease
11% of people living with Alzheimer’s
Chronic medical conditions contribute to mental illness, but the converse is also true. Epidemiologic studies have shown that 50.6% of people with mental disorders also had a chronic medical condition. This not only complicates diagnoses, but it highlights the importance and value of taking a holistic approach to care. When two conditions can be closely linked, or one creates causative conditions for the other, it’s vital to address both possibilities up front.
The bi-directional nature of chronic illness and mental diseases is even more insidious. For example, a person living with heart disease is at greater risk of depression, which saps one’s motivation and energy for self-care, and can lead to a lack of exercise and weight gain. The cardiovascular disease worsens because of greater strain on the heart that can exacerbate depression. The causative cycle tightens.
The same can be said of other chronic diseases like diabetes. Research by the American Diabetes Association revealed that people living with diabetes and depression show poorer glycemic control, decreased physical activity, higher obesity, and greater risk for more end-organ complications and impaired function.
Conversely, when a person has a mental health disorder -- bipolar/mania, major depression, substance use, schizophrenia – they often have disturbed sleep, forgetfulness, negative affect, or despair, which can lead to unhealthy behaviors like using alcohol, drugs, or overeating to cope.
For example, people living with schizophrenia tend to develop chronic medical conditions like obesity and diabetes, many times due to the symptoms of mental illness that make healthy behaviors harder to attain or maintain.
This infographic seems to imply that chronic physical health conditions lead to burnout and depression.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to have seen was the percentage for each physical health condition, and also what percentage of the population has a chronic mental health condition without any chronic physical health problems.
I have partially answered some of these questions with an article above.
DeleteThe article focuses specifically upon depression and neglects other possibilities such as anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse. We know many people with mental illness self-medicate by smoking, drinking or taking drugs.
DeleteEvidently about half of people with mental illness do not have a chronic health problem. However, some of those people may not have been mentally ill for a sufficient for physical health problems to develop.
As someone with a chronic disease, I strenuously object to the notion that it drives us crazy. Yes, there is a situation that can make you despondent, anxious, or angry at times, but I don't see this as "mental illness" in the way my mother was mentally ill. Looking at the emotional toll chronic illness can take on people is fine, but saying we become mentally ill endangers our credibility and ability to make our own care decisions because we're "crazy."
DeleteMy oncologist started screening me for depression and anxiety a couple of years ago, and it is becoming annoying.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed over the years that lots of cancer patients insist that their traumatic families caused their cancer. This ignores the fact that researchers can often pinpoint genetic mutations and environmental toxins as factors in and drivers of their illnesses.
My guess is that the "my family gave me cancer" people enjoy the drama of the guilt trip. At last they've got a weapon of their own to wield. And boy do they hang onto it! It's the silver lining of their diagnosis.
That said, yup, having a chronic illness is depressing and worrying. Depression and anxiety are also documented side effects of the chemo. But I tried the anti-depressants and they did nothing good. The anti-anxiety meds are mostly benzos that are addictive. Went thru my mom's benzo withdrawal and refuse to put my family thru that. They already have to deal with my crummy disease.
Exercise, learning breathing tricks, taking restorative breaks, knitting, reading, reducing your expectations, sometimes praying can help you suck it up, and say, "no thanks, I'm fine" when the docs start pushing the Happy Pills.
With the aging of the population, I’m assuming that increase of maladies comes with it. “Starość nie radość (old age no joy as the Poles say). Getting older is tougher when you perceive the whole world is tracking with you. I don’t know how much remaining time I’ve been allotted but knowing four years of it will be Trump years is a bit much. Trying to figure out if there’s anything else I can do besides kwetch.
ReplyDeleteSomebody sent me this. I'm not high on life advice and poetry at my time of life, but some good thoughts from Louise Erdrich: https://radicaldiscipleship.net/2017/12/31/advice-to-myself-2-resistance/
DeleteWell, I have suffered from mental( emotional?Are they the same.) illness for 14 months now - ever since the day mu husband fell off the ladder. After getting home and seeing my doctor, who is definitely not a pill pusher, I reluctantly agree to start taking a low dose of anti- depressants. So far no big change.however it’s a very low dose so maybe I need more? The only thing that has helped at times was the Xanax. Jean you may not know that docs are very reluctant to prescribe it anymore, especially not to old people. My dr gave me a small number of pills at a very low dose to use in a real crisis. I am hoarding them.Not refillable - 14 pills.
ReplyDeleteDeafness makes me depressed too.
I am sorry you are going thru this. Glad the Xanax helped to some extent.
DeleteStandard of care guidelines for to "head meds" seem to be based on this calculation: Are the drugs more likely to lead to medical negligence litigation than the untreated anxiety and depression?
As a result, as far as the docs are concerned, I am Little Mary Frickin Sunshine despite having bad days. Decades of living with alcoholics gave me excellent skills at reading a room and suppressing emotions. There were consequences to having hissy fit about something--or being too happy about something--when one parent wasn't in the mood to put up with it.
Jean, I am sorry too for everything you have gone through, especially with your parents, and are going through now, made even worse since your financial situation is very rocky right now. Having that worry on top of everything else is awful. I have always been reluctant to take drugs and my health, except for cancer 3 years ago, has always been good. It still is. The only prescription medication I’m taking right now is the Lexapro. Xanax in reserve. But the dr knows me well, for 25 years, and he was very concerned about my weight loss due to stress and anxiety and I told him that I had been very depressed most of the year. So he thought a trial would be a good idea. I trust him, especially because I know he doesn’t push psychiatric meds normally. I could not put on a happy face for him even though I wanted to. It’s a very low dose also.
DeleteSo, we’ll see. I’m trying to be more mindful of the many problems so many are facing right now among family and friends. Ours is somewhat uniquely awful because we are now so home bound, but others have very challenging and scary situations too even though they can still walk. Even if it’s with a cane or a walker. I’ve looked at our finances and with luck we should be ok for at least 5-7 more years. At that point my husband would be 89-91 and I could be 82-84. If we make it that long. The sons pledge to help if needed so I’m trying not to worry too much as our savings balances decline at a now very fast rate.p, five figures/ month for care. We know that the cheapest place we can live is here in Maryland - not Calif or Colorado but we also wouldn’t be near our sons and grandchildren if we stay here. But that’s a decision that is still at least several months away. We’re consulting with a financial advisor in early December.
I pray for all of you very day.
DeleteIt's such a help when you have had a long-term doc, isn't it? I think it takes off a lot of stress to have someone you trust. My GP, oncologist, and cardiologist have all retired in the last three years, and that adds a layer of uncertainty to life.
DeleteHoping you get some good help from your finance person. I am awaiting an appt with the council on aging to get some help and advice on some things. Raber has some cognitive decline going on, so I want to get some things squared away while he is able to understand and participate.
Our basic emotional responses (depression, flight, and anger) all have survival power. They only become dysfunctional when they interfere with rational responses to threat.
ReplyDeleteDepression in particular is useful to the extent that it helps us to conserve resources, and question many of the things that we are doing in light of new circumstances.
Some people may be more prone genetically to being depressed. I think that I am among them. Therefore, beginning in college I became skeptical of letting myself become depressed, especially by letting myself think that I was responsible when things went wrong in life. Actually, people who are less prone to depression tend to wear rose colored glasses. People prone to depression don't. It is helpful to learn how to use rose colored glasses.
To "depression proof" myself I simply took an imaginary walk around my small town, then through the many institutions that I had already experienced, and then through our society and political structures. Tons of depressing information all around me. In fact, most people and situations were worse off that I was. Obviously, a lot of people and institutions were a mess.
If things were going wrong for me (e.g. my opposition to the Vietnam war) maybe it was because the world was a mess, and I should not feel responsible for that, and think that I was going to be able to do much to change that.