Why It Is So Hard To Define Chronic Illness In The USA

If you were to walk up to a person on the street and ask him what he believed the difference was between illness and health, chances are that you would likely receive a fast reply about how health is when the body works correctly and illness is when it does not.

When one begins to suffer the many symptoms and signs of illness, however, suddenly the importance of having a clear understanding of the difference between health and a chronic illness or condition is desired. The quest to understand if the illness is to be long-lasting is an emotional journey perhaps as much as diagnosing the illness itself.

There is not always a clear answer, since so many illnesses, such as fibromyalgia, are still surrounded with mystery and the long-term impact is not yet understood. A lack of information, however, does not cancel out the need for a person who is suffering to have his or her pain experience validated by both loved ones and medical professionals. That which was previously just an abstract circumstance, now has become personal. A person wishes to diagnose symptoms of illness.

The task of defining what a chronic illness is does not seem like it would be a difficult one, even though there are thousands of types of chronic illness. For example, health is when you feel good; illness is the lack of health or what some may consider, a chronic pain that does not go away. But we must also take into consideration the people who seem to be physically fit who one day have a heart attack or stroke in the midst of their regular exercise routine or daily activities.

So if one's appearance or feeling doesn't lead to an accurate measurement of health or illness how do we accurately measure or define what real health and illness is?

The question may even be asked, "Can one be a healthy, chronically ill person?"

According to Derek Yach, who presented on the topic of "Health and Illness: The Definition of the World Health Organization," both societies and individuals have a variety of definitions of what is regarded as health. These definitions have all undergone scrutiny and criticisms.

How can a country determine health for their own country? Do we compare out life expectancy or infant mortality rates with other countries to determine if we are a healthier culture? What does it say about the USA that, as children in some countries are barely surviving on limited food, groups are pressuring McDonald's to remove toys from Happy Meals? While a McDonalds calorie list is a good idea, not every mother is searching for the latest McDonalds Happy Meal toy schedule online.

Is it unrealistic to believe that everyone can obtain some level of health? The definition of health and illness will always be vague and determined not scientifically, but rather sociologically by those determined to use the definition to their advantage.

And so, yet again, this brings us to the question of "What is a chronic illness?"

Medically, chronic illness can be defined as a condition that is lasting longer than three months, according to the definition determined by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. This could include any physical state that takes away one's measure of health-or as the void of illness such as the autoimmune illness chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms of end stage COPD, or even cancer.

Despite the fact that America may be well known for their well-being, nearly 1 in 2 American live with a kind of chronic pain, condition, or illness. This can include anything from chronic migraines to disabling back pain. This is according to the report "Chronic Care in America: A 21st Century Challenge" completed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Our society has firmly held the opinion that the commonly advertised medications will cure our illness or at least make all symptoms soon disappear. And we are told this is true: that we just need to follow the advice of the pharmaceutical companies and soon we will be as good as we used to be!

It is not unusual for us to believe that pain management is not the "management" of any pain but the complete and total removal of the pain. And curing one from that pain indefinitely. If a medication does not give us back our life as it was before illness, we assume the medication simply did not work; not that it worked to the best of its ability.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which was began in 1948, defines health as "being a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, defines illness as "a state of poor health." They state "Illness is sometimes considered a synonym for disease."

Many believe, however, that real health can be considered more of a state of mind. They consider one's attitude about life in general best defines "health" more than what may be revealed through one's lab results.

This is an issue that many people with illness are sensitive to, however. There are people who live with severe chronic illnesses who live a very healthy lifestyle, doing their best to stay as well as they can despite their condition. And then other people who are genetically blessed with good health, can tear their body up with stress or substance abuse, for example, and still stay relatively healthy. If these people do in fact end up getting an illness, then was it predetermined, or was it caused by their actions?

This starts to move into what is considered the definition of social health; does the illness come before the stress or vice versa? There are hundreds if not thousands of social factors that determine health.

In conclusion, like many definitions in our society, depending on who you ask you will get a different answer. Chronic illness has its burdens and frustrations, but joy is a choice. I feel I can say this because I have lived with rheumatoid arthritis for nearly two decades and I have learned that no one can define or decide what it is that brings me joy.