Chronic disease level

Clinicians may use their intuition to assign women to a chronic disease level category. Below are how the scientists who provided data for this website defined each category:

None (has none of the diseases below)

Low (has one of the diseases below):

• Heart attack
• Stomach or intestinal ulcer
• Rheumatologic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, polymyositis, polymyalgia, rheumatica, systemic sclerosis)

Moderate (has one of the diseases below):

• Diabetes (without any other chronic condition listed below)
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Aortic aneurysm
• Paralysis
• Stroke

High

• Diabetes (with any chronic condition below or listed under “moderate”)
• COPD/emphysema
• Congestive heart failure (CHF)
• Chronic kidney disease or is on dialysis
• Moderate or severe liver disease or has cirrhosis
• Dementia
• AIDS
• Multiple significant conditions

First-degree female relative:

Mother, sister(s), or daughters(s) who have or had breast cancer

Breast biopsy:

A procedure done to remove a small amount of breast tissue

Breast density:

The amount of fibrous or glandular tissue in the breast compared to the amount of fatty tissue seen on a mammogram. As women age, their breast tissue tends to have more fat and be less dense.

See more information on breast density.