nontransmittable

Nontransmittable, also written nontransmissible, is a term used to describe diseases and conditions that are not spread from person to person. In public health, the related term most often used is noncommunicable diseases (NCDs); nonetheless, nontransmittable appears in some texts to emphasize the absence of contagious transmission. These conditions are typically chronic and require long-term care and management.

Major examples include cardiovascular diseases (such as heart disease and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and diabetes. Many nontransmittable diseases arise from a combination of genetic factors, lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, and aging, rather than from immediate infectious processes.

Because they are not transmitted between people, nontransmittable diseases do not spread via common infectious routes. However, they can cluster in populations due to shared risk factors or genetics, and their burden places substantial demands on health systems. They are often long-lasting and progressively debilitating, with complications that can lead to premature death.

Prevention and control priorities focus on reducing risk factors, promoting healthy behaviors, and ensuring access to timely diagnosis and chronic care. Public health measures—such as tobacco control, promotion of physical activity and healthy diets, reductions in air pollution, and screening for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cancer—aim to lower incidence and improve outcomes, while health systems adapt to chronic-care needs.