Noncommunicable disease
Say it: non-kuh-MYOO-nih-kuh-bul dih-ZEEZ
A noncommunicable disease is a long-lasting illness, such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes, that does not pass from one person to another.
Also: NCD, NCDs, non-communicable disease, noncommunicable diseases
Definition
What is a noncommunicable disease?
A noncommunicable disease (NCD) is a condition that does not spread from one person to another. NCDs usually develop slowly and last a long time, which is why they are often called chronic diseases, and they arise from inherited, physiological, environmental and lifestyle influences acting together. The four main groups are heart and blood vessel diseases, including heart attack and stroke; cancers; long-term lung diseases such as COPD and asthma; and diabetes.
NCDs are the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for roughly three in four deaths outside of pandemics, and many of these deaths occur before age 70 in low- and middle-income countries. Much of the burden traces to a handful of modifiable risk factors: tobacco, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, harmful use of alcohol and air pollution. These in turn drive metabolic changes such as raised blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids and obesity, which lead on to disease.
Because NCDs are not caught from others, they are tackled mainly through prevention and long-term management rather than by breaking chains of transmission: tobacco taxes, healthier food environments, screening, early treatment and palliative care. The boundary is not always sharp, since some cancers, such as cervical and liver cancer, are triggered by infections.
Word parts
Where does the term “noncommunicable disease” come from?
- non-
- notLatin non
- communic-
- to share, make commonLatin communicare
Related
Terms that go with it
- Communicable diseaseA communicable disease is an infection that can pass from one person or animal to another, directly or through air, water, food, objects or vectors.
- Risk factorA risk factor is a trait, exposure or behavior linked to a higher chance of developing a particular disease, injury or other health problem.
- Diabetes mellitusDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which blood glucose stays too high because the body makes too little insulin or cannot use it well.
- HypertensionHypertension is a long-term condition in which the pressure of blood against artery walls stays higher than normal, straining the heart and vessels.
- CancerCancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control, invade nearby tissue and can spread to distant parts of the body.
- COPDCOPD is a long-term lung disease, usually caused by smoke or polluted air, in which damaged airways and air sacs limit the flow of air out of the lungs.
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- WHO Fact Sheet: Noncommunicable diseases
- NCBI MeSH: Noncommunicable Diseases
- NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: chronic disease
Last updated
Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.
Practice Public Health
Free public health quizzes, with an explanation for every answer.
See the Quizzes