The increasing __ of chronic illnesses such as diabetes necessitates more comprehensive community health initiatives. suppression rarity prevalence eradication Healthcare workers are encouraged to improve their __ to hand hygiene guidelines to prevent the spread of infections. indifference adherence resistance disregard

## Step 1<br />The first sentence is about the increasing number of chronic illnesses such as diabetes. The word that fits best in this context is 'prevalence'. 'Prevalence' refers to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time. In this case, the sentence is talking about the increasing number of chronic illnesses, so 'prevalence' is the most appropriate word.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The second sentence is about healthcare workers improving their behavior towards hand hygiene guidelines. The word that fits best in this context is 'adherence'. 'Adherence' refers to the act of following or sticking to something. In this case, the sentence is talking about healthcare workers improving their behavior towards hand hygiene guidelines, so 'adherence' is the most appropriate word.