WHO > Health topics > Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases

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Chronic diseases are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 60% of all deaths. Out of the 35 million people who died from chronic disease in 2005, half were under 70 and half were women.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Fact sheets on chronic diseases

Q&As on chronic diseases

MULTIMEDIA

Features on chronic diseases

Fact files on chronic diseases

RELATED TOPICS

Topics in chronic diseases

Tobacco

Disabilities

Mental health

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

WHO Noncommunicable diseases Action Plan

A Framework to Monitor and Evaluate the Implementation: Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

Integrated chronic disease prevention and control

- More about chronic diseases

PUBLICATIONS

Preventing chronic diseases: a vital investment
Prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, palliative care, policy

Cancer control: knowledge into action
State-of-the-art guide to effective and feasible interventions

- More publications

STATISTICS

Country information
Global InfoBase


WHO PROGRAMMES AND ACTITVITIES

Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion

Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster
CHRONIC DISEASES IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas–PAHO
South-East Asia Region
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region