NCD Brief Five – Households and NCDs

Households and NCDs

Percept | January 2022

Despite being defined by their non-infectiousness, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – like
infectious ones – often cluster in households. This is not just because of the close proximity of people
who live together, but also due to their intimate social and interpersonal ties. In the 2018 General
Household Survey, 35% of South African households reported that they had more than one member
living with an NCD. Because people often underestimate or under-report NCDs, this is likely to be a
low estimate of the NCD burden in South African households.

Home is where the health is – but healthcare systems are blind to households on the edge

Read our op-ed featured in Daily Maverick.