General systems theory is proposed as a framework for understanding chronic illness, and for intervention in chronic illness. It is suggested that chronic illness needs to be understood as a particular type of unhealth system. Various components of the unhealth system are described including disease, illness, sickness and illness behaviour, and applied to an understanding of chronic illness. The personal and temporal or developmental aspects of chronic illness are also described. The implications and value of a systems theory view of chronic illness are discussed and illustrated with two case demonstrations.
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