Chronic Disease Control Branch – Dept of Health

Written by admin@pcpierce.com on April 23, 2014. Posted in Diabetes Education

Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis—are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Heart disease accounted for 27% of deaths in California in 2005, while stroke caused 7% of deaths.  23% of all deaths in California in 2005 were due to cancer and 7,697 of adults in California died from diabetes mellitus.  In 2009, 20% of adults in California reported being diagnosed with arthritis, the most common cause of disability in the US.  Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable. Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases.

The Chronic Disease Control Branch mission is to prevent and control chronic diseases. The branch supports evidence-based programs to promote healthy behaviors, conduct research, and improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic disease. Critical to the success of these efforts are partnerships with local public health and education agencies, voluntary associations, private organizations, and federal agencies.