'Imagine living every day with a raw, gaping hole in your body': Chronic wounds are the massive global health problem no one's talking about, warns Dr. Sheila Wang
In this op-ed, she says that millions of people around the world are suffering from chronic wounds, and the problem isn't nearly as discussed or researched as often as cancer or heart disease.
Now, imagine what these injuries would be like if they healed slowly, or not at all. Imagine living every day with a raw, gaping hole in one or more areas of your body. That's the sad reality for millions of people around the world — many of whom are elderly or who have serious illnesses — who suffer from chronic, acute or traumatic wounds.
The wound problem is expected to get worse as populations age and experience higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity — conditions that are linked to a higher risk for chronic wounds. Over the next decade, the incidence of chronic wounds is expected to rise at a rate of 2% annually.
The confusion over responsibility for wound care gets even worse when patients have multiple health problems. Is it the surgeon, cardiologist, endocrinologist or orthopedic specialist who should be looking after the post-surgical wound of a patient with heart disease and diabetes?
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