DocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast 221: Thriving Despite Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain in the Physician Family with Dr. Jeep & Vanessa Naum
“The hope and faith in the medical system. Hope in my relationship with him. Knowing that I’m not going through this alone.”
-Vanessa Naum
We’re excited to welcome back Physician Marriage Coaches, Dr. George (Dr. Jeep) and Vanessa Naum.
In this episode, Vanessa discusses her experience dealing with Fibromyalgia and how being married to a physician has impacted her journey living with a chronic illness. Dr. Jeep and Vanessa give advice on how to best help a partner or loved one dealing with a chronic illness and the importance of understanding and compassion. You don’t want to miss this inspiring episode!
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in 2018, approximately 60% of adults in the United States have at least one chronic condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.
Furthermore, a survey conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute found that about one in three adults in the United States, or 34.2 million people, have provided unpaid care to an adult aged 50 or older in the past 12 months. Of these caregivers, 60% reported providing care for someone with a chronic illness.
It's worth noting that these statistics are from studies conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have had an impact on the prevalence of chronic illnesses and caregiving in the United States.
According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2020, 16.5% of physicians in the United States reported having a chronic illness and 14.2% reported providing care for an adult family member with a chronic illness.
The study also found that female physicians were more likely than male physicians to have a chronic illness or care for someone with a chronic illness. Additionally, physicians who reported having a chronic illness were more likely to work part-time or reduce their clinical workload than those without a chronic illness.
It's worth noting that the characteristics and experiences of physicians with chronic illnesses may vary based on the type of illness, severity of symptoms, and other factors.
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We hope you check out these two previous episodes with Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum:
145: Why Physician Marriages Have Challenges with Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum
186: Becoming a Doctor, the Struggle Is Real with Dr. Jeep & Vanessa Naum
Episode mentioned in the podcast on chronic pain:
180: The Paradigm Shift To Cure Chronic Pain for You and Your Patients with Dr. Howard Schubiner
The Naum’s Gift To You: Go to their website at www.BestFriendsAgain.com and scroll down to receive a FREE copy of the chapter: Love Letter Method with Your Spouse, from Dr. Jeep’s book, “What’s Forever For? A Physician’s Guide for Everlasting Love and Success in Marriage.”
The Naums encourage their new connections to do a relationship needs assessment. It’s a good health and wellness check for your relationship. Their clients have found it extremely helpful!
https://bestfriendsagain.wufoo.com/forms/relationship-needs-assessment/
Dr. Jeep and Vanessa Naum’s social media:
https://www.instagram.com/bestfriendsagain/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgeorgenaum-do-physician-author-marriage-relationship-intimacy-coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-friends-again/
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References:
Regarding the prevalence of chronic illness and caregiving in the U.S. population:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). "Chronic Diseases in America." Accessed August 31, 2021, at https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm.
- National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute (2015). "Caregiving in the U.S. 2015." Accessed August 31, 2021, at https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2015/caregiving-in-the-united-states-2015-executive-summary-revised.pdf.
Regarding the prevalence of chronic illness and caregiving among physicians:
- Shanafelt, T.D., Hasan, O., Dyrbye, L.N., et al. (2020). "Intended and Unintended Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physician Well-being." JAMA, 324(20), 2005-2007. Accessed August 31, 2021, at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2771765.