Risks & Prevention

Risk Factors

Chronic disease risk factors can be non-modifiable (i.e. age, race/ethnicity, biological gender, family history) or something a person can modify (i.e. smoking tobacco, using drugs and/or alcohol, poor diet, lack of exercise). Many chronic diseases share the same risk factors, which this table strives to incorporate.

	Autoimmune	Cancer	CVD	Endocrine	GI	Neurologic	Respiratory	Renal
*Age	X		X			X	X	X
Alcohol Use		X	X			X
Cholesterol (increased)			X	X				X
Diabetes			X					X
Diet (poor)		X	X	X	X
*Family History	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
*Gender	X		X
High Blood Pressure			X					X
Obesity	X	X	X			X		X
Physical Activity (decreased)		X	X	X	X
*Race / Ethnicity			X		X			X
Tobacco Use		X	X			X	X
Infection	X	X				X	X

* Non-modifiable Risk Factors

Preventative Factors

Just as chronic diseases share risk factors, so to do they share factors that can prevent or reduce the risk of disease.

Just as chronic diseases share risk factors, so to do they share factors that can prevent or reduce the risk of disease.

	Autoimmune	Cancer	CVD	Endocrine	GI	Neurologic	Respiratory	Renal
Cholesterol Control			X			X
Control High Blood Pressure			X			X		X
Exercise Regularly	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Healthy Diet	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Limit Alcohol	X	X	X		X	X		X
Maintain a Healthy Weight	X	X	X		X	X		X
Manage Other Chronic Diseases	X	X	X			X
Manage Stress	X		X		X	X		X
Sleep 7-9 Hours per Night			X			X
Stop Tobacco Use	X	X	X		X	X	X	X

 

 

In addition, the CDC recommends that all adults keep their vaccinations up to date. Childhood immunizations may wear off after time and need a “booster shot,” and you are at risk for other diseases as an adult.

All adults need:

• Influenza vaccine (every year)
• Tdap vaccine (if they did not receive it as an adolescent to protect against pertussis (whooping cough), and then a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster shot every 10 years.

If you have a chronic disease, you talk with your doctor to determine what other vaccines may be appropriate for you.