Do you or a loved one live with more than one chronic health condition? If you do, you’re certainly not alone. Over half of adults in the U.S. have at least one chronic health condition and over a quarter of American adults are living with two or more.1 Chronic conditions can include asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression, heart disease, hypertension, anxiety, and more. Symptoms of these chronic conditions can last for months or years and can negatively impact one’s quality of life or ability to perform activities of daily living.2
At UPMC, we understand that these symptoms can affect many different aspects of life, and we develop and test innovative ways to support individuals living with MCCs. In 2018, we started the Integrated Care Study to learn more about which type of integrated care for MCCs work best for which patient and under what circumstances.
“It makes you feel inadequate. Makes you feel…like you’re not…independent. You know, for over 50 years…I’ve been on my own, more or less, and now you gonna tell me I can’t drive? Now you tell me I, I can’t do this, I can’t do that, can’t have this, can’t do—it’s hard for a grown man, to take.” – Study participant
As we developed innovations to help individuals with MCCs, we first went to the experts and asked each of our study participants how chronic illness has impacted them individually. Often, we heard about how health conditions keep people from things that they love, like being able to play with their children or grandchildren. Many described how daily activities—like walking, sitting for too long, focusing on things like reading or computer work, or lifting things like groceries—can become more difficult. These limitations, plus the challenges of getting to and navigating multiple doctor appointments can also make it harder for some people to seek care. For many, chronic conditions can be a huge financial burden3 as limitations can lead to losing a job and with it, steady income and employer-sponsored health insurance.
People in some communities are even more heavily impacted by chronic conditions than others.4 In our last post, Integrated Care’s Role in Addressing Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity, we talked about social determinants of health and how factors like where people live can affect their health.5 We know that eating nutritious food, staying active, sleeping well, and breathing clean air are some ways to lower your risk for developing chronic conditions.6 But what happens when your community does not have a full-service grocery store that offers affordable, healthy food options or safe places to walk or exercise? What if there is a lot of noise or activity that keeps you from sleeping well or if your neighborhood is near a source of air or water pollution? People living in communities with these types of challenges have a higher risk of developing chronic conditions and may experience more barriers to managing those conditions.
“[It’s] pretty much the same thing… your health and your financial situation. And if, I mean, if you’re sick and that, it’s kinda hard to work… then financially you struggle.” – Study participant
Learning how to best manage healthcare for multiple chronic conditions is an urgent health challenge today, and at UPMC, we are working to understand how we might improve care for those with MCCs and reduce spending through our work on the Integrated Care Study.
Interested in more information about how to manage your or your loved one’s MCCs? Check out our newsletters and other resources on our study webpage.
Our final study results will be published in late 2024 – until then, stay tuned for the next installment of our Integrated Care Study Blog Series.
1 Boersma P, Black LI, Ward BW. Prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions Among US Adults, 2018. Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200130. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200130.
2 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.) Chronic Disease. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html
3 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Fast Facts: Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Conditions. Retrieved September 17, 2024 from https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html.
4Shaw KM, Theis KA, Self-Brown S, Roblin DW, Barker L. Chronic Disease Disparities by County Economic Status and Metropolitan Classification, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013. Prev Chronic Dis 2016;13:160088. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.160088external icon.
5 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health. Healthy People 2030. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health.
6U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Preventing Chronic Disease: What You Can Do Now. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/prevention/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/prevent/index.htm.