Non-Communicable Diseases: Global Health Crisis and Management

This essay provides an overview of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), defining them as conditions not directly transmitted from person to person, primarily attributed to behavioral, environmental, physiological, or genetic factors. The essay highlights the World Health Organization's identification of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases as the main NCDs. It emphasizes their significant global impact, causing 41 million deaths annually, with a majority in low and middle-income countries. The essay discusses risk factors like tobacco use, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy diets, while also addressing the economic burden associated with NCDs, including increased healthcare costs and reduced productivity. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of addressing NCDs as a primary global health concern, emphasizing their causes and the need for effective interventions.

Running head: NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 1
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 2
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Noncommunicable diseases abbreviated as NCDs are diseases not directly transmitted
from one person to another. These types of conditions are primarily attributed to behavioral,
environmental, physiological or genetic factors. The world health organization identifies
diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers and cardiovascular diseases as the main types of
Noncommunicable conditions. This discussion will centre on Noncommunicable diseases.
According to the World Health Organization, Noncommunicable diseases are among the
leading causes of death globally. In particular, this category of conditions is responsible for the
death of 41 million people each year, representing 71% of all deaths. Out of these deaths, 32
million occur in middle and low-income countries. Additionally, cardiovascular diseases are the
leading cause of death among the main four types of Non-communicable conditions, accounting
for 17.9 million deaths annually. On the same note, deaths associated with cancers account for 9
million annual deaths, while diabetes and respiratory diseases account for 1.6 million and 3.9
million deaths respectively (WHO, 2019).
The noncommunicable diseases may affect people from any group, country or region.
This means that noncommunicable conditions are not a preserve for any category of
people.However, a large number of people majorly associate noncommunicable diseases with the
elderly population (Lee et al., 2012). The available evidence, however, contradicts this
assumption. In particular, 15 million annual deaths attributed to noncommunicable diseases
occur between people aged between 30 and 69 years (WHO, 2019). Risk factors for
noncommunicable diseases include harmful use of tobacco, exposure to tobacco smoke, lack of
physical activity or unhealthy diets. All categories of people including the elderly, children and
adults, are at risk of acquiring noncommunicable diseases. The prevalence of the

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 3
noncommunicable disease has been attributed to several other factors, including aging of the
population, unhealthy lifestyles, globalization and rapid unplanned urbanization (WHO, 2019).
Chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases are
community and public health priority for several reasons. First of all, these are the leading cause
of death in many countries. In the United States, for example, the leading non-communicable
disease-accounts for 89% percent of all deaths. Additionally, the country’s prevalence of these
conditions has exceeded the global average. Furthermore, the United States of America’s annual
mortality rate exceeds the global average (Chen, Kuhn, Prettner & Bloom, 2018). Also, non-
communicable diseases are associated with various economic costs including an increase in
premature deaths, loss of productivity among people as well as making people to work for lesser
years. Recent statistics indicate that noncommunicable diseases are likely to cause a cumulative
loss of $47 trillion worth of output between 2011 and 2030 (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2019).
Less output will mean less healthcare budget. On the same note, with the increasing number of
cases of noncommunicable diseases pressure is likely to be exerted on the already struggling
healthcare system
In conclusion, noncommunicable diseases are the primary global health concerns. These
types of conditions are believed to be the leading cause of death globally. Similarly,
noncommunicable conditions may affect any person irrespective of their age, geographical
location. Non communicable diseases are caused by factors such as include smoking, a sedentary
lifestyle, and unhealthy diets. Finally, they are a community and public health problem because
of the economic cost.
.

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 4
References
Chen, S., Kuhn, M., Prettner, K., & Bloom, D. E. (2018). The macroeconomic burden of
noncommunicable diseases in the United States: Estimates and projections. PloS
one, 13(11), e0206702.
Kaiser Family Foundation. (2019). The U.S. Government and Global Non-Communicable
Disease Efforts. Retrieved 4 October 2019, from https://www.kff.org/global-health-
policy/fact-sheet/the-u-s-government-and-global-non-communicable-diseases/
Lee, I. M., Shiroma, E. J., Lobelo, F., Puska, P., Blair, S. N., Katzmarzyk, P. T., & Lancet
Physical Activity Series Working Group. (2012). Effect of physical inactivity on major
non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life
expectancy. The Lancet, 380(9838), 219-229.
WHO. (2019). Non-communicable diseases. Retrieved 4 October 2019, from
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases