A behavioral approach to the treatment of chronic illnesses

Chronic illness, defined as any disease that requires at least one year of ongoing medical attention, affects approximately half of all American adults, and at least 7% of American children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018a; Perrin, Bloom, & Gortmaker, 2007). The economic burden of chronic illness in the United States is unprecedented, with health care costs for the most common chronic diseases estimated to be around $2.3 trillion each year, and at least an additional $1 trillion estimated in lost productivity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018d; DeVoss & Bedrouddian, 2007). In addition to economic burden, chronic illness imposes great psychological distress and poorer quality of life for diagnosed individuals and their loved ones (Rees, O’Boyle, & MacDonagh, 2001; Strine, Chapman, Balluz, Moriarty, & Mokdad, 2008). The chronic illnesses attributed with the greatest number of deaths in the United States are heart disease, cancer, lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018c). Behavioral patterns, including behavioral excesses and deficits, contribute to all of these chronic health conditions, making them amenable to behavioral interventions.