The social and economic impact of chronic diseases in the early 20th century During the first half of the 20th century, two world wars devastated the world politically, economically, geographical and social. While massive changes were occurring that were reshaping the state of the world, on the home front, new discoveries began to restructure the world of medicine. The general public and doctors have observed a shift from infectious diseases to chronic diseases. This change required a reevaluation of what it meant to have an illness or disease. Promising medical breakthroughs have been shown to prolong life and provide comfort to those living with chronic illnesses and diseases. Although these extraordinary discoveries gave chronically ill patients hope for longevity, the economic collapse of the turn of the century left many people unable to access new treatments. ¬¬At the beginning of the 20th century, chronic diseases became more widespread than infectious diseases. A theory proposed by Abdel Oman in 1971 attempted to explain the shift from infectious diseases to chronic diseases, as well as other disease patterns that have occurred over the past 10,000 years. This theory coined the term “epidemiological transition”. The theory states that the modern era “has been marked by shifting disease patterns from infectious diseases to chronic and degenerative diseases in developed nations due to improvements in nutrition, public health, and medicine.” (Medanth, n.d.). As medical knowledge and research began to expand, new medical breakthroughs were discovered. Doctors have had to reevaluate the definition of disease. Philosopher Lester King explored the concept that an illness can only be identified through “… the middle of the paper… as well as in a time of great change. Although medical research has rushed to keep pace with the transition from infectious to chronic diseases. People had to adjust to what it meant to be sick. Doctors and patients began to form lasting relationships in an attempt to control a disease. While many people have been given the opportunity for longevity without a cure, many people have not been able to access it and continue fighting without the treatment they need. Unfortunately, many of these economic struggles are still prevalent today. As the developed world moves into the next phase of the epidemiological transition and the developing world enters the modern era, one can only hope that the international system will evolve economically enough to provide a sustainable system that ensures the availability of medicines and becomes more accessible for those in need.