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Dictionary definition of “pre-sick”

pre-sick

adj. having behaviors or characteristics which could lead to disease or illness. Also n. Subjects: , ,
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Citations: 1985 Clement G. Martin Low Blood Sugar (Apr. 1) p. 104: Throughout Europe, many countries are sponsoring regular physical fitness programs for all of their “healthy inhabitants,” because too many of them are “pre-sick” due to the current living habits we all have. 1996 Abigail Trafford Washington Post (Apr. 16) “Ethics and Genetics” p. Z06: The line between having a bad gene and having a bad disease is blurred. Even though you have no symptoms of illness, you may be treated by your health insurance company as though you do. In short, you are genetically “pre-sick.” 2002 Fitzhugh Mullan Big Doctoring in America (Oct. 7) p. 71: Wellness care means dealing with the “pre-sick” who have yet-to-be-determined diseases. 2005 John Dorschner Miami Herald (Florida) (May 26) “UM, Humana to test ‘pre-sick’”: The underlying concept is that once patients have chronic conditions and enter disease management programs, they are already quite sick and inevitably will be costly patients. Better to identify and help the “pre-sick” patient before they have chronic problems.
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