Chronic Diseases Burden on the Economy—A Problem Reaching Beyond Health Care

Chronic diseases are currently the main cause of both disability and death worldwide. The heterogeneous group of diseases, including among others, cancers, cardiovascular illnesses, chronic respiratory conditions and diabetes, affect people of all ages and social classes. It is estimated that chronic conditions are responsible for 60% of deaths globally [Abegunde et al., 2007]. The burden is predicted to worsen in the years to come. A WHO study projected an increase of global deaths by a further 17% in the period 2005–2015 [WHO, 2005]. The heavy burden of chronic diseases and their multiple effects on productivity and demography plays an important role in the performance of the national economy. The correlation between health and economic growth is therefore one of the most crucial issues worldwide. The aim of this paper is to discuss the scale and trends in the burden of chronic diseases on the economy. The author takes into account direct, indirect and immeasurable costs of chronic illnesses.