Chronic diseases affect millions of people across the country, including many individuals and families here in the Rochester and Finger Lakes region where trends mirror those at national and state levels. The most common chronic conditions—obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer—often last a year or longer and may require ongoing medical attention, daily self-management, or adjustments to everyday activities.
On Chronic Disease Awareness Day, we recognize not only the impact of these conditions, but also the importance of steady, ongoing care. Managing a chronic illness is rarely about one appointment, one prescription, or one lifestyle change. It often takes a team of primary care providers, specialists, pharmacists, behavioral health professionals, caregivers, family members, friends, and community resources working together over time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that chronic diseases are among the leading causes of illness, disability, and death in the United States. Three in four American adults have at least one chronic condition, and more than half have two or more. That means chronic disease is not an abstract public health issue—it is part of daily life for our neighbors, coworkers, patients, loved ones, and communities.
Why ongoing care matters
For many chronic conditions, consistent care can help people prevent complications, manage symptoms, and maintain a better quality of life. Regular checkups can help monitor key health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, kidney function, weight, lung function, and cancer screening status. These touchpoints also give patients a chance to ask questions, review medications, talk through challenges, and adjust care plans as life changes.
Ongoing support is especially important because chronic disease management happens mostly outside the doctor’s office. It happens when someone remembers to take medication, chooses a meal that supports their health goals, checks their blood pressure, schedules a screening, asks for help managing stress, or finds the energy to be active despite pain, fatigue, or a busy schedule.
Here in the Finger Lakes region, we’ve worked with local health partners to continue to track chronic disease indicators such as diabetes control, hypertension control, adult and childhood obesity, heart disease, cancer screening, asthma, chronic kidney disease, and other health measures. Common Ground Health commissioned the 2021 Community Health Indicators Report with data from Rochester Regional Health Information Organization, in collaboration with RocHealthData, to help communities better understand where support is needed. That work was built upon with a Spotlight report born out of our 2022 My Health Story survey, in which 36% of residents who shared their biggest health concern named chronic health conditions such as being overweight or obesity, or pain and pain management.
Chronic disease is personal—and often invisible
Not every chronic condition is visible. A person may look healthy while managing diabetes, heart disease, asthma, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, depression, cancer treatment effects, kidney disease, or another long-term condition. Others may be caregivers, coordinating appointments, medications, transportation, meals, and emotional support for someone they love.
That is why compassion matters. Flexibility, encouragement, and connection can make a meaningful difference. For some people, the hardest part of living with a chronic condition is not only the diagnosis itself, but the ongoing mental, emotional, financial, and logistical effort it takes to manage health day after day.
Steps people can take to support their health
While not every chronic disease can be prevented, many conditions and complications can be delayed, managed, or reduced with ongoing care and healthy habits. The CDC identifies smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use as common risk factors for many preventable chronic diseases.
Here are some steps to help you manage chronic conditions and overall health and well-being:
- Stay connected to primary care. Routine doctors and other care provider visits help identify health concerns early and keep existing conditions on track.
- Know your numbers. Ask your provider and learn more about blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, A1C, kidney function, body weight, and other measures that may be important for you.
- Keep up with recommended screenings. Screenings for cancer, diabetes, heart disease risk, kidney disease, and other conditions can help detect problems earlier, when treatment may be more effective.
- Take medications as prescribed. If cost, side effects, or confusion make this difficult, talk with a provider or pharmacist. Medication plans can often be reviewed or adjusted.
- Move in ways that work for you. Physical activity does not have to mean intense exercise. Walking, stretching, gardening, chair exercises, or short activity breaks can all support health.
- Build meals around balance. Adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and water can support heart health, blood sugar management, and overall well-being.
- Ask for support. Support groups, care managers, community health workers, family members, friends, and local organizations can help people manage appointments, transportation, food access, medication questions, and emotional stress.
- Pay attention to mental health. Living with one or more chronic conditions can be stressful. Anxiety, depression, grief, and burnout are common—and support is available.
- Make a care plan. Keep a list of medications, providers, allergies, emergency contacts, upcoming appointments, and questions to bring to visits.
- Start small. Sustainable change often begins with one step: scheduling an overdue appointment, taking a short walk, checking blood pressure, refilling a prescription, or asking for help.
A regional reminder
Rochester and the Finger Lakes are home to strong health care institutions, community organizations, public health partners, and neighbors committed to helping people live healthier lives. But chronic disease prevention and management also require connection—between patients and providers, individuals and caregivers, health systems and communities.
This Chronic Disease Day, we recognize everyone living with a chronic condition and everyone who supports them. Ongoing care, reliable information, community resources, and compassion can help people manage chronic illness and continue living full, meaningful lives.
And for anyone who has been putting off care: today is a good reminder to schedule the appointment, ask the question, refill the medication, or take the next small step toward better health.