About Chronic Disease
What Is Chronic Disease?
A chronic disease is an illness or condition that generally cannot be cured, but can be managed with lifestyle changes, medication, and medical care. Chronic diseases can last anywhere from three months to a few years, but most are lifelong.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in two U.S. adults has a chronic disease while one in four U.S. adults has two or more. Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths each year in the United States. Treating people with chronic diseases accounts for 86% of our nation’s health care costs.
Chronic Disease in Allegheny County
In Allegheny County, we face even greater challenges when it comes to chronic disease. According to the latest available data, our rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks, respiratory disease, and stroke ALL exceed national levels:
| Diagnosed with Chronic Disease |
Allegheny County |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
| Diabetes |
11% |
10.2% |
9.7% |
| Cardiovascular Disease |
5.0% |
4.7% |
4.1% |
| Heart Attack |
5.0% |
4.7% |
4.1% |
| Stroke |
4.0% |
3.4% |
2.6% |
Underinsured or Uninsured Resource Guide
If you live in Allegheny County and are underinsured or uninsured, the ACHD Resource Guide(PDF, 608KB) can help you find the location and contact information for the clinic or health center offering the services you need.
Click here to view form.