Der epidemiologische Wandel von akut zu chronisch in Indien

An epidemiological change has already taken place, and also in the post coronavirus phase the number of chronic diseases will be higher than acute and communicable ones. According to the WHO (2), in 2015 5.8 million people in India died of NCDs (non-communicable diseases), i.e. chronic diseases: cardiovascular and lung diseases, cancer, and diabetes. In 2015 diabetics were 69.2 million and will be almost 100 million in 2030. The complexity of interventions is linked to socio-economic conditions and, in particular, to access to education and drinking water. In Mumbai 40% of the population lives in slums. Four main social factors impact the health of people living in poverty: dirty water, low education, physical inactivity, and transportation. These elements cause situations to further deteriorate, and chronic disease plays a complex role. There are no easy solutions to this: India, which is both very rich and very poor, requires specific interventions aimed at different contexts, and it must be noted that a shift towards an anticipatory and proactive approach can be found both in rich and in poor countries.