Invisible Killers: How Lifestyle Diseases Are Replacing Infections

Abstract

The last several decades were rather dramatic in the global health contexts: the lifestyle diseases, otherwise called the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are replacing the infectious diseases as the dominant cause of morbidity and mortality. The causes of these invisible killers including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, among others, are to a large extent due to modifiable lifestyle factors which include physical inactivity, poor diets, tobacco use and obesity. NCDs burden is increasing sharply in Pakistan that is currently a significant contributor in a wide range of morbidities and mortality as the health systems traditionally concentrated on the control of infectious diseases were challenged. The study integrates simulated primary data on Pakistan and existing literature to investigate the epidemiological change and risk factors, health outcomes, and policy implications of lifestyle diseases. The study incorporates both the review of survey data on lifestyle behaviour and clinical risk profile and usage of health services with the use of a qualitative approach to interview experience of thought and perceptions of disease risk. Results point at the lifestyle determinants as the factor that prevails in creating the patterns of diseases and reveal the gaps in awareness, prevention plans, and preparedness of the health systems. The paper is also summarized with certain suggestions regarding how to make the response of the population more vigorous in terms of responding to illnesses because this would only guarantee the improvement of health-related behaviour and relink health mechanisms to proper prevention and control of NCDs.