A chronic condition is a long-lasting condition. It needs ongoing medical attention and may limit what you can do. Often there is no cure.
One in 2 Australians has a chronic disease. This makes chronic conditions the leading cause of illness, disability and death in Australia.
Chronic conditions describe a range of health conditions, including:
One in 5 Australians has 2 or more chronic conditions.
Many people living with a chronic condition need to manage their condition long term.
Chronic conditions can often lead to your health gradually getting worse. They can lower your quality of life and affect your independence.
Common chronic conditions in Australia are:
Chronic conditions can affect people of all ages. But they become more common with older age.
If you have a chronic condition you will need to learn how to manage it.
You can manage a chronic condition by:
Being engaged with managing your condition and helping treat the symptoms can improve your quality of life.
Learning about your condition can help you manage it and take control of your health. It will also allow you to choose treatments that suit you.
Read widely, although be careful — not everything you read is true.
It will also help you to ask your doctor the right questions.
Understand what medicines you are taking and take them as prescribed by your doctor.
If you are taking medicines for long periods, ask your doctor for a Home Medicines Review. They will arrange for a pharmacist to visit your home and check that:
If you have a chronic illness, you may benefit from having a team of health professionals involved in your care. This is called a multidisciplinary team.
Make sure you have a doctor who understands you and the way you live your life. Having one person who is central to your health care can make things easier for you.
You may also want to set up a My Health Record. This is a digital health record that can be used by your doctor and other healthcare professionals you see.
Ask your doctor for a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan. These plans give a structured approach to managing your illness.
The plan is agreed on between you and your doctor. It includes ongoing care from a team of health professionals.
Learn more about Chronic health plans (Easy Read) (Opens in new tab).
Your doctor may refer you to a specialist. The type of specialist that you see will depend on your condition.
You may also have allied health professionals involved in your care. These may include the following.
Access to allied health care may improve your health and wellbeing. It can also lower the long-term impact of your condition.
Living with a chronic disease can be challenging. Chronic illness can affect both your physical and mental health, as well as your social and work life.
You have a higher chance of getting depression if you have a chronic condition.
This may be caused by:
Talk to your doctor if you feel like you are depressed. It may help to see a psychologist to help you adapt to the challenges of having a chronic illness.
People who have depression are also more likely to get chronic conditions such as:
Having a healthy lifestyle can help lower your chance of developing a chronic condition. A healthy lifestyle includes:
There is plenty of help and support available to help you manage your chronic condition. Sources of support can include:
Many organisations have support groups. They will give you information about the best way to manage your chronic disease. Some of these organisations are listed below.
You can find a list of resources to help manage chronic conditions on the Department of Health website (Opens in new tab).
Emotional support is available if you're stressed, anxious or depressed.
Carers of people with chronic conditions can also join self-management programs and support groups.
Carer Gateway (Opens in new tab) offers emotional, practical and financial support and advice for all carers. Call on 1800 422 737.
If you need help finding support services, talk to your doctor or call healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).
Find out how we develop and review our content.
Last reviewed: September 2024
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