Chronic physical illness and mental health

 Mental disorders and other chronic diseases are the biggest cause of death and disability worldwide. Non communicable diseases (NCDs) – including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, respiratory diseases and mental disorders – are estimated to account for 86% of deaths and 77% of the disease burden in the WHO European Region. Poor mental health often goes hand in hand with chronic disease.

Therefore understanding the relationship between NCDs and mental illness has increased dramatically in the last two decades. People with NCDs are now known to tend to have much higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population. Major depression among such people increases the burden of their physical illnesses and symptoms, their functional impairment and the medical costs.

As a result an emerging development in chronic care and patient empowerment is beginning to form an essential part in the management of NCDs. The roles of patients and health care professionals are evolving to place patients at the centre of disease management. Patient empowerment aims to support partnership relations between patients and caregivers, strengthen the self-care strategies of patients, families and communities, and improve patients’ quality of life. Patient empowerment, health literacy and patients’ rights have now formed part of WHO/Europe’s new integrated strategy for disease prevention.