People living with chronic conditions often face daily challenges, including pain, psychological effects, difficulty with social interactions and physical capabilities, and they require regular care for the management of their conditions. Ideally, primary care is well placed to provide such support by offering preventive measures, managing chronic ailments and orchestrating comprehensive care. But improving the outcomes and the quality of care will only be possible by incorporating the perspectives of patients in policymaking.

While data is mostly lacking in this area, the International Survey of People Living with Chronic Conditions (PaRIS) aims to fill this critical gap.

Mental ill-health can have devastating effects on individuals, families and communities, with one in every two people experiencing a mental illness in their lifetime. Levels of anxiety and depression doubled in some countries during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in many countries reported rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Mental ill-health also weighs heavily on societies and economies, with the economic burden rising up to 4% of GDP.

OECD work looks at deepening the understanding of the burden of mental ill-health, and improving mental health promotion and ill-health prevention. Our work also looks at measuring the performance of mental health systems, recommending best practices across health, employment, education and social welfare policies, and promoting a more integrated approach to mental health policy.

Circulatory diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are leading causes of death in most OECD countries, and have contributed to a slowdown in life expectancy improvements in many countries. Cardiovascular conditions often lead to patients having a lower quality of life, due to symptoms and disability caused by strokes and congestive heart failure.

Cancer poses a global challenge, claiming millions of lives annually. The impact of cancer strains healthcare systems, imposes economic pressures, and causes immense personal loss. Addressing this challenge requires focused efforts on prevention, early detection, and innovative treatments to alleviate the societal and economic cost of cancer.