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Burden of Chronic Disease in Georgia

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The Burden of Chronic Disease in Georgia

Chronic diseases � such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes � are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75% of the nation�s health spending. Often related to economic, social, and physical factors, too many people engage in behaviors � such as tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse � that lead to poor health and contribute to chronic disease.

The burden of chronic disease presents a significant public health challenge to Georgia:

• Over 5 million cases of seven common chronic diseases � cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions � were reported in Georgia in 2003.¹
• The cost of treating those with chronic disease in Georgia totaled about $7.1 billion.²
• Chronic diseases resulted in $32.8 billion in lost productivity and economic costs to Georgia.³

Health Data Summaries

Resources

¹ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Care Where You Live.December 2010. Available at: http://www.healthcare.gov/center.

² Trust for America�s Health. Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities. July 2008. Available at: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/prevention08/Prevention08.pdf.

³ DeVol, R., and A. Bedroussian. An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease, Milken Institute, October 2007. Available at: http://www.chronicdiseaseimpact.com/.