CHRONIC DISEASE CRISIS. WHY PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

A health check-up shows the burden of chronic disease is crippling our nation. About half of all Australians now have a chronic disease while 20% have multiple chronic diseases. It's time we changed course to prioritise prevention, health promotion and early detection, while recognizing the valuable contribution of nurses and midwives, to combat the skyrocketing incidence of chronic illnesses, writes Karen Keast.