RT Journal
A1 Halfon N, Newacheck PW
T1 EVolving notions of childhood chronic illness
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2010
FD February 17
VO 303
IS 7
SP 665
OP 666
DO 10.1001/jama.2010.130
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.130
AB 
The more than doubling in prevalence of chronic conditions reported by the authors is consistent with an increasing body of evidence documenting a historic shift in the epidemiology of child health—from acute to chronic illnesses—that began at least 50 years ago.2- 4 Indeed, while mortality rates, hospitalizations for common acute conditions and injuries, and school absence days due to illness were declining, the prevalence of chronic conditions severe enough to cause some level of activity limitation more than doubled between the 1960s and the 1980s.5 Results from the report by Van Cleave et al suggest the upward trend in prevalence of chronic conditions has continued through the 1990s and into the first decade of this century.