User:Younggyrl/Center for Managing Chronic Disease

The Center for Managing Chronic Disease
The Center for Managing Chronic Disease (CMCD) conducts research and demonstration that aim to build the capacity of individuals, families, communities, and health care systems to effectively prevent and manage chronic disease. It is a worldwide collaboration of researchers and interventionists who focus their work on management of heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, breast cancer, allergy, Alzheimer's disease, and factors associated with obesity. The Center pursues its mission nationally and internationally collaborating with colleagues who are doing innovative work related to the social, behavioral, environmental and clinical aspects of chronic disease control.

The Center fosters collaborations to create new approaches to disease management (health) and also adapts projects and programs successful in one area for use in another. We disseminate successful interventions so they reach the largest number of people, in particular, low-income families, minorities, children, older adults and women. While no one intervention is likely to change the picture of chronic disease, the Center believes that careful research of an array of solutions for individuals, families, clinicians, and systems will evolve into what collectively can achieve optimum disease management and control.

Our Definition of Chronic Disease
Chronic disease is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. Chronic illness affects the population worldwide. As described by the Centers for Disease Control, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. It accounts for 70% of all deaths in the U.S., which is 1.7 million each year. Data from the World Health Organization show that chronic disease is also the major cause of premature death around the world even in places where infectious disease are rampant. Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable and most can be effectively controlled.

Above: Circles of Influence in Self-Management of Chronic Disease The Center for Managing Chronic Disease aims to help people control the effects of their chronic illness by putting them at the center of disease control solutions. When designs for patient education, service delivery, and payment systems all focus on supporting patients' efforts and building the capacity of individuals and families to manage disease effectively, disease control increases, health care costs go down, and family well-being improves.

Examples of chronic diseases that comprise the Center's research and demonstration agenda are:

Allergy Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers Asthma Breast Cancer Diabetes Epilepsy Glaucoma Heart Disease Obesity and Overweight The Food and Fitness Environment