Socioeconomic Determinants of Multimorbidity: A Population-Based Household Survey of Hong Kong Chinese

The Multimorbidity and Lifestyle Correlates in Chinese Population Residing in Macau: Findings from a Community-Based Needs Assessment Study

Multimorbidity has become one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide. The objectives of this study were to understand the prevalence of multimorbidity and its relationship with lifestyle factors among Chinese adults in Macau, and to investigate the combined contribution of common lifestyle factors in predicting multimorbidity. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a self-reported questionnaire on common chronic diseases, lifestyle factors and sociodemographics. BMI, physical activity, drinking status, smoking status and sleep quality were assessed, and a composite lifestyle score (0 to 9 points) was calculated, and the higher the score, the healthier the lifestyle. A total of 1443 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 55.2% were female, 51.8% were middle aged or elderly and 30.5% completed tertiary education or higher. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 10.3%. The combination of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia was the most common (22.2%) multimorbidity among the participants with multimorbidity. After the adjustment of the covariates, it was found that the participants who were overweight (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.18-3.20, p = 0.009) or obese (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.38-5.96, p < 0.001), former drinkers (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.26-4.69, p = 0.008), and those who reported poor sleep quality (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.49-3.40, p < 0.001) had a high risk of developing multimorbidity. A one-unit increase in the lifestyle score was associated with a 0.33-times reduction in the risk of developing multimorbidity (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.59-0.77, p < 0.001). A combination of lifestyle factors can influence a variety of multimorbidity among the Chinese adults in Macau. Thus, comprehensively assessing the combined contribution of several lifestyle factors in predicting multimorbidity is important.

Sex differences in non-communicable disease multimorbidity among adults aged 45 years or older in India

OBJECTIVE

Older male and female adults differ in key characteristics such as disease-specific life expectancy, health behaviours and clinical presentations and non-communicable disease multimorbidity (NCD-MM). Therefore, examining the sex differences in NCD-MM among older adults is vital, as this issue is understudied in low-income and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts such as India, and has been growing in the past few decades.

DESIGN

Large scale nationally representative cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI 2017-2018) had data on 27 343 men and 31 730 women aged 45+, drawn from a sample of 59 073 individuals across India.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES

We operationalised NCD-MM based on prevalence of the presence of two or more long-term chronic NCD morbidities. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis along with multivariate statistics were used.

RESULTS

Women aged 75+ had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity as compared with men (52.1% vs 45.17%). NCD-MM was more common among widows (48.5%) than widowers (44.8%). The female-to-male ratios of ORs (RORs) for NCD-MM associated with overweight/obesity and prior history of chewing tobacco were 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.20) and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.12 to 1.80), respectively. The female-to-male RORs show that the odds of NCD-MM were greater in formerly working women (1.24 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.44)) relative to formerly working men. The effect of increasing NCD-MM on limitations in activities of daily living and instrumental ADL was greater in men than women but reversed for the hospitalisation.

CONCLUSIONS

We found significant sex differences in NCD-MM prevalence among older Indian adults, with various associated risk factors. The patterns underlying these differences warrant greater study, given existing evidence on differential longevity, health burdens and health-seeking patterns all of which operate in a larger structural context of patriarchy. Health systems in turn must respond to NCD-MM mindful of these patterns and aim to redress some of the larger inequities they reflect.

Global and regional prevalence of multimorbidity in the adult population in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Knowing the prevalence of multimorbidity among adults across continents is a crucial piece of information for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.4, which calls for reducing premature death due to non-communicable diseases. A high prevalence of multimorbidity indicates high mortality and increased healthcare utilization. We aimed to understand the prevalence of multimorbidity across WHO geographic regions among adults.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of surveys designed to estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity among adults in community settings. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase and Google Scholar databases for studies published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2021. The random-effects model estimated the pooled proportion of multimorbidity in adults. Heterogeneity was quantified using I² statistics. We performed subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses based on continents, age, gender, multimorbidity definition, study periods and sample size. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020150945).

FINDINGS

We analyzed data from 126 peer-reviewed studies that included nearly 15.4 million people (32.1% were male) with a weighted mean age of 56.94 years (standard deviation of 10.84 years) from 54 countries around the world. The overall global prevalence of multimorbidity was 37.2% (95% CI = 34.9-39.4%). South America (45.7%, 95% CI = 39.0-52.5) had the highest prevalence of multimorbidity, followed by North America (43.1%, 95% CI = 32.3-53.8%), Europe (39.2%, 95% CI = 33.2-45.2%), and Asia (35%, 95% CI = 31.4-38.5%). The subgroup study highlights that multimorbidity is more prevalent in females (39.4%, 95% CI = 36.4-42.4%) than males (32.8%, 95% CI = 30.0-35.6%). More than half of the adult population worldwide above 60 years of age had multimorbid conditions (51.0%, 95% CI = 44.1-58.0%). Multimorbidity has become increasingly prevalent in the last two decades, while the prevalence appears to have stayed stable in the recent decade among adults globally.

INTERPRETATION

The multimorbidity patterns by geographic regions, time, age, and gender suggest noticeable demographic and regional differences in the burden of multimorbidity. According to insights about prevalence among adults, priority is required for effective and integrative interventions for older adults from South America, Europe, and North America. A high prevalence of multimorbidity among adults from South America suggests immediate interventions are needed to reduce the burden of morbidity. Furthermore, the high prevalence trend in the last two decades indicates that the global burden of multimorbidity continues at the same pace. The low prevalence in Africa suggests that there may be many undiagnosed chronic illness patients in Africa.

FUNDING

None.

Monitoring socioeconomic inequalities in health in Hong Kong: insights and lessons from the UK and Australia

In many developed countries such as the UK and Australia, addressing socioeconomic inequalities in health is a priority in their policy agenda, with well-established practices and authorities to collect and link selected health and social indicators for long-term monitoring. Nonetheless, the monitoring of socioeconomic inequalities in health in Hong Kong remains in a piecemeal manner. Also, the common international practice to monitor inequalities at area level appears to be unsuitable in Hong Kong due to its small, compact, and highly interconnected built environment that limits the variation of neighbourhood deprivation level. To enhance inequality monitoring in Hong Kong, we aim to draw reference and lesson from the UK and Australia to explore the feasible steps forward regarding collection of health indicators and contextually appropriate equity stratifiers with strong implication on policy actions, and discuss potential strategies to promote the public awareness and motivations for a more comprehensive inequality monitoring system.

Patterns and Predictors of Multimorbidity in the Azar Cohort

BACKGROUND

The co-existence of chronic diseases (CDs), a condition defined as multimorbidity (MM), is becoming a major public health issue. Therefore, we aimed to determine the patterns and predictors of MM in the Azar Cohort.

METHODS

We evaluated the prevalence of MM in 15,006 (35-70-year old) subjects of the Azar Cohort Study. MM was defined as the co-existence of two or more CDs. Data on the subjects' socioeconomic status, demographics, sleeping habits, and physical activity were collected using questionnaires.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of MM was 28.1%. The most prevalent CDs, in decreasing order, were obesity, hypertension, depression, and diabetes. Obesity, depression, and diabetes were the most co-occurring CDs. The MM risk increased significantly with age, illiteracy, and in females. Also, the subjects within the lowest tertile of physical activity level (OR=1.89; 95% CI: 1.75-2.05) showed higher MM risk than those with the highest level of physical activity. Findings regarding current smoking status indicated that being an ex-smoker or smoker of other types of tobacco significantly increased the risk of MM.

CONCLUSION

The reduction of MM is possible by promoting public health from an early age among people of various socioeconomic conditions. It is vital to offer the necessary health support to the aging population of Iran.

The Feedback Loop Between the Demand for Voluntary Private Insurance and the Burden of Healthcare System: An Explanatory System Dynamics Model of Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Many countries with universal healthcare have a parallel private healthcare sector due to the waiting time in the public sector. People purchase individual health insurance to pay for private services. Past studies on the relationship between the public sector's waiting time and the demand for health insurance have two limitations: not considering the capacity of the private sector, and subsequently, the omission of a feedback loop. These limitations are also present in the health insurance policy discussion in Hong Kong, where the public sector is overstretched. A lack of understanding of market dynamics might lead to unrealistic expectations of public policy. This study highlights these limitations, and tries to answer the research question: whether the historical dynamics between the intersectoral imbalance of burden and the demand for health insurance in Hong Kong could be quantitatively explained.

METHODS

A system dynamics model was created based on a negative feedback loop. The model's initial input was the percentage of population with health insurance in 2009, and to simulate the percentage continuously until 2019. Results from 2015 to 2019 were compared with actual figures to examine the model's explanatory power. Multivariable sensitivity analysis was performed.

RESULTS

With initial fluctuation, the simulated result stabilized and was within the acceptable error range from 2015 to 2019. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was 0.94%. At the end of 2019, the simulated percentage of population with health insurance is 36.6% versus the "real value" of 36.7%. Simulated patient admissions and occupancy rates also approximate the reality. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates the robustness of the model.

CONCLUSION

We can quantitatively explain the feedback loop between health system burden and demand for health insurance. With local parameterization, this model should be transferable to other universal health systems for a better understanding of the system dynamics and more informed policy-making.

Physical Activity and Multimorbidity Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the relationship between physical activity (PA) and multimorbidity in community-dwelling older adults.

DATA SOURCE

A systematic review and meta-analysis in the following databases: Pubmed, Lilacs, Scielo, Web of Science, Scopus, and AgeLine.

STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA

It included observational studies investigating the association between physical activity and multimorbidity, with older adults, published until May 2021. Studies with institutionalized individuals or that assessed specific diseases were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two reviewers independently extracted the studies based on previous inclusion and exclusion criteria, started by selecting titles, followed by abstracts and full-text reading.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Meta-analysis results were reported as Odds Ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval using R language. The Newcastle Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of the studies.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies were included in the systematic review, from which 12 reported an inverse association between physical activity and multimorbidity. In the meta-analysis, from over 77 000 older adults, there was an inverse association between physical activity and multimorbidity [OR: .81; 95% CI: .73-.89]. We found significant results only for men in the analysis by sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Low levels of physical activity were associated with a higher risk of multimorbidity in older adults. It is expected that public policies will be conducted aimed at the practice of physical activity among older adults.

Education and income-related inequalities in multimorbidity among older Brazilian adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the existence of socioeconomic inequalities related to the prevalence of multimorbidity in the Brazilian population aged 60 and older.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study with data from the last Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS) collected in 2019. Multimorbidity was the dependent variable and was defined as the presence of two or more chronic diseases. All the diseases were assessed based on a self-reported previous medical diagnosis. Education and per capita family income were the measures of socioeconomic position. Socioeconomic inequalities related to multimorbidity were assessed using two complex measures of inequality; the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Concentration Index (CI).

RESULTS

The prevalence of multimorbidity in Brazil was 56.5% 95% CI (55.4; 57.6) and varied from 46.9% (44.3; 49.6) in the North region to 59.3% (57.0; 61.5) in the South region. In general, individuals with higher socioeconomic positions had a lower prevalence of multimorbidity. Significant absolute and relative income inequalities were observed in the South region [SII -9.0; CI -0.054], Southeast [SII -9.8; CI -0.06], and Middle-east [SII -10.4; CI -0.063]. Absolute and relative education inequalities were significant for the country and two of its regions (Southeast [SII -12.7; CI -0.079] and South [SII -19.0; CI -0.109]).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of multimorbidity is high in Brazil and all of its macro-regions. The significant findings concerning the inequalities suggest that the distribution of this condition is more concentrated among those with lower education and income.

Disrupted daily routines mediate the socioeconomic gradient of depression amid public health crises: A repeated cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

There is a socioeconomic gradient to depression risks, with more pronounced inequality amid macroenvironmental potential traumatic events. Between mid-2019 and mid-2020, the Hong Kong population experienced drastic societal changes, including the escalating civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the change of the socioeconomic gradient in depression and the potential intermediary role of daily routine disruptions.

METHOD

We conducted repeated territory-wide telephone surveys in July 2019 and July 2020 with 1112 and 2034 population-representative Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong citizens above 15 years old, respectively. Stratified by year, we examined the association between socioeconomic indicators (education attainment, household income, employment status and marital status) and probable depression (nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] ⩾ 10) using logistic regression. Differences in the socioeconomic gradient between 2019 and 2020 were tested. Finally, we performed a path analysis to test for the mediating role of daily routine disruptions.

RESULTS

Logistic regression showed that higher education attainment in 2019 and being married in 2020 were protective against probable depression. Interaction analysis showed that the inverse association of higher education attainment with probable depression attenuated in 2020 but that of being married increased. Path analysis showed that the mediated effects through daily routine disruptions accounted for 95.9% of the socioeconomic gradient of probable depression in 2020, compared with 13.1% in 2019.

CONCLUSION

From July 2019 to July 2020, the mediating role of daily routine disruptions in the socioeconomic gradient of depression in Hong Kong increased. It is thus implied that infection control measures should consider the relevant potential mental health impacts accordingly.

A Descriptive Study on Multiple Health-Risk Behaviors among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong

This study investigated the prevalence and clustering patterns of multiple health-risk behaviors and their associations with non-communicable diseases among Chinese adults in Hong Kong. A large sample survey was conducted in all 18 districts of Hong Kong between 21 June and 31 August 2021. A total of 5737 adults completed the survey. Overall, 4605 (80.3%) had at least one health-risk behavior and 2696 (47.0%) had two or more health-risk behaviors. Multiple health-risk behaviors were more prevalent among men. The prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption among Hong Kong Chinese women was considerably lower than in most Western countries. In contrast to previous findings, this study revealed that a high proportion of adults with high educational attainment or household income had multiple health-risk behaviors. In addition, this study revealed that the health-risk behaviors in Chinese adults co-occurred in clusters, with smoking and alcohol consumption co-occurring with other health-risk behaviors. Those who smoked or consumed alcohol had the highest proportion of multiple health-risk behaviors and the highest proportion of non-communicable diseases. The findings of this study add further evidence that health-risk behaviors co-occur in clusters and can contribute to non-communicable diseases.

Spatiotemporal relationship between temperature and non-accidental mortality: Assessing effect modification by socioeconomic status

BACKGROUND

Most published studies have assessed the overall health impact of temperature by using one-station or multiple-station averaged meteorological and air quality data. Concern has arisen about whether the temperature health impact is homogeneous across the whole territory geographically, since green space and socioeconomic factors may modify the impact.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims at investigating how small-area mortality is modified by local temperature and other meteorological, air quality, green space, and socioeconomic factors of small geographic units in a subtropical urban setting.

METHODS

Data on meteorological, air pollutants, and non-accidental mortality count in Hong Kong during 2006-2016 were obtained. Combined with green space and socioeconomic data, spatiotemporal analysis using Generalized Additive Mixed Models was conducted to examine the temperature-mortality relationship, adjusted for seasonality, long-term trend, other meteorological factors, pollutants, socioeconomic characteristics and green space.

RESULTS

Socioeconomic status was found to modify the temporal temperature-mortality relationship. A J-shape association was identified for most areas in Hong Kong, where a sharp increase of mortality was observed when daily minimum temperature dropped lower than the turning point. However, for people living in the most affluent areas, after the initial increase there was a decrease of mortality for colder days. Besides, when comparing the two spatiotemporal models (i.e. using nearby or central temperature monitoring station), while leaving the other predictors unchanged, this study showed that there was little difference in the overall model performances.

CONCLUSION

This study indicated that the daily fluctuation of mortality was associated with daily temperature, while the spatial variation of mortality within this city could be explained by the geographical distribution of green space and socioeconomic factors. Since people living in affluent areas were found to be more tolerant of cold temperatures, it would be more efficient to tailor cold temperature health education and warning information for socioeconomically deprived communities.

Household Tenure and Its Associations with Multiple Long-Term Conditions amongst Working-Age Adults in East London: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Linked Primary Care and Local Government Records

Multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) are influenced in extent and nature by social determinants of health. Few studies have explored associations between household tenure and different definitions of MLTCs. This study aimed to examine associations between household tenure and MLTCs amongst working-age adults (16 to 64 years old, inclusive). This cross-sectional study used the 2019−2020 wave of an innovative dataset that links administrative data across health and local government for residents of a deprived borough in East London. Three definitions of MLTCs were operationalised based on a list of 38 conditions. Multilevel logistic regression models were built for each outcome and adjusted for a range of health and sociodemographic factors. Compared to working-age owner-occupiers, odds of basic MLTCs were 36% higher for social housing tenants and 19% lower for private renters (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.30−1.42; p < 0.001 and OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.77−0.84, p < 0.001, respectively). Results were consistent across different definitions of MLTCs, although associations were stronger for social housing tenants with physical-mental MLTCs. This study finds strong evidence that household tenure is associated with MLTCs, emphasising the importance of understanding household-level determinants of health. Resources to prevent and tackle MLTCs among working-age adults could be differentially targeted by tenure type.

Prevalence of and factors associated with hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart attack multimorbidity in Botswana: Evidence from STEPS 2014 survey

Background

Botswana, like other Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries is currently undergoing demographic and epidemiological transitions which are shown by an increase in chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their associated risk factors. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with hypertension, diabetes and stroke/heart attack multimorbidity in Botswana. The definition of multimorbidity used in this study is the presence of two or more NCDs in an individual.

Methods

This study used secondary data derived from the Botswana WHO STEPS 2014 survey. The survey employed a nationally representative multi-stage sampling design. The study sample consisted of 3527 respondents aged 20–69 years of age who had successfully completed the questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with multimorbidity. All comparisons were considered to be statistically significant at 5% level. Statistical tests were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.

Results

Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and stroke/heart attack multimorbidity was estimated to be at 3.5% in the sampled population. The odds of reporting multimorbidity were highest among females (AOR = 9.73, 95% CI = 8.30–11.42) than males and among respondents aged 35–49 (AOR = 1.20, 95% C.I. = 1.10–1.31) and 50–69 years (AOR = 1.52, 95% C.I. = 1.23–1.67) than individuals aged 20–24 years. Moreover, the odds of multimorbidity were significantly higher among married (AOR = 15.92, 95% C.I. = 13.40–18.92) and living together (AOR = 6.68, 95% C.I. = 5.72–7.81) couples; and individuals who reported that they earn an average annual household income of BWP ≥20 000 (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.84–2.75) compared to their counterparts. Behavioural risk factors significantly associated with higher odds of multimorbidity were obesity (AOR = 6.79, 95% C.I. = 6.20–7.90), physical inactivity (AOR = 4.41, 95% C.I. = 3.65–5.31) and hazardous alcohol consumption (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.23–1.81). On the other hand the odds of reporting multimorbidity were significantly low among individuals with sufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables (AOR = 0.47, 95% C.I. = 0.39–0.56) and non-tobacco users (AOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.49–0.68).

Conclusion

Multimorbidity was more common among females, the elderly people and was associated with obesity, poor fruit and vegetable intake, and tobacco use. Strategies to combat NCDs and multimorbidity should be aimed to target early stages of life since behavioural factors and lifestyles that increase the likelihood of disease are entrenched in earlier stages of life.

Theoretical explanations for socioeconomic inequalities in multimorbidity: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To document socioepidemiological theories used to explain the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and multimorbidity.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

A search strategy was developed and then applied to multiple electronic databases including Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Web of Science, Scielo, Applied Social Sciences, ERIC, Humanities Index and Sociological Abstracts. After the selection of studies, data were extracted using a data charting plan. The last search was performed on the 28 September 2021. Extracted data included: study design, country, population subgroups, measures of socioeconomic inequality, assessment of multimorbidity and conclusion on the association between socioeconomic variables and multimorbidity. Included studies were further assessed on their use of theory, type of theories used and context of application. Finally, we conducted a meta-narrative synthesis to summarise the results.

RESULTS

A total of 64 studies were included in the review. Of these, 33 papers included theories as explanations for the association between socioeconomic position and multimorbidity. Within this group, 16 explicitly stated those theories and five tested at least one theory. Behavioural theories (health behaviours) were the most frequently used, followed by materialist (access to health resources) and psychosocial (stress pathways) theories. Most studies used theories as post hoc explanations for their findings or for study rationale. Supportive evidence was found for the role of material, behavioural and life course theories in explaining the relationship between social inequalities and multimorbidity.

CONCLUSION

Given the widely reported social inequalities in multimorbidity and its increasing public health burden, there is a critical gap in evidence on pathways from socioeconomic disadvantage to multimorbidity. Generating evidence of these pathways will guide the development of intervention and public policies to prevent multimorbidity among people living in social disadvantage. Material, behavioural and life course pathways can be targeted to reduce the negative effect of low socioeconomic position on multimorbidity.

Role of social support in the relationship between financial hardship and multimorbidity-a causal mediation analysis

BACKGROUND

Social disadvantage is a key determinant of multimorbidity. Pathways through which social disadvantage leads to multimorbidity are yet undefined. In this study, we first examined the causal effect of moving into financial hardship on multimorbidity among Australian adults, and then the role of social support as a mediator of the relationship between financial hardship and multimorbidity.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey (2009-2013). We identified individuals who moved into financial hardship between 2010 and 2011 (n = 5775). Inverse probability treatment weighting with regression adjustment was used to examine the relationship between financial hardship and multimorbidity. Causal mediation analysis was applied to decompose the total effect of financial hardship on multimorbidity into the proportion attributable to social support and the proportion not occurring through measured pathways. We accounted for baseline covariates including age, sex, marital status, educational attainment, employment status, income, country of birth, multimorbidity and social support. Bootstrapping with 1000 replications was used to calculate 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

The risk of multimorbidity was higher in those with financial hardship by 19% [relative risk 1.19 (95% CI: 1.02-1.37) and absolute risk difference 0.036 (95% CI: 0.004-0.067)] than those without financial hardship. Social support accounted for 30% of the total effect of financial hardship on multimorbidity, risk difference 0.009 (95% CI: 0.003-0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Financial hardship leads to increased risk of multimorbidity. Interventions directed at increasing social support among those in financial hardship may reduce their risk of multimorbidity.

Differential Impacts of Multimorbidity on COVID-19 Severity across the Socioeconomic Ladder in Hong Kong: A Syndemic Perspective

The severity of COVID-19 infections could be exacerbated by the epidemic of chronic diseases and underlying inequalities in social determinants of health. Nonetheless, there is scanty evidence in regions with a relatively well-controlled outbreak. This study examined the socioeconomic patterning of COVID-19 severity and its effect modification with multimorbidity in Hong Kong. 3074 local COVID-19 cases diagnosed from 5 July to 31 October 2020 were analyzed and followed up until 30 November 2020. Data on residential addresses, socio-demographic background, COVID-19 clinical conditions, and pre-existing chronic diseases of confirmed cases were retrieved from the Centre for Health Protection and the Hospital Authority. Results showed that, despite an independent adverse impact of multimorbidity on COVID-19 severity (aOR = 2.35 [95% CI = 1.72-3.19]), it varied across the socioeconomic ladder, with no significant risk among those living in the wealthiest areas (aOR = 0.80 [0.32-2.02]). Also, no significant association of the area-level income-poverty rate with severe COVID-19 was observed. In conclusion, the socioeconomic patterning of severe COVID-19 was mild in Hong Kong. Nonetheless, socioeconomic position interacted with multimorbidity to determine COVID-19 severity with a mitigated risk among the socioeconomically advantaged. Plausible explanations include the underlying socioeconomic inequalities in chronic disease management and the equity impact of the public-private dual-track healthcare system.

COVID-19 related health inequality exists even in a city where disease incidence is relatively low: a telephone survey in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

We examined whether COVID-19 could exert inequalities in socioeconomic conditions and health in Hong Kong, where there has been a relatively low COVID-19 incidence.

METHODS

752 adult respondents from a previous random sample participated in a telephone survey from 20 April to 11 May 2020. We examined demographic and socioeconomic factors, worry of COVID-19, general health, economic activity, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and related hygiene practice by deprivation status. The associations between deprivation and negative COVID-19 related issues were analysed using binary logistic regressions, while the associations of these issues with health were analysed using linear regressions. Path analysis was conducted to determine the direct effect of deprivation, and the indirect effects via COVID-19 related issues, on health. Interactions between deprivation and the mediators were also tested.

RESULTS

Deprived individuals were more likely to have job loss/instability, less reserves, less utilisation and more concerns of PPE. After adjustments for potential confounders, being deprived was associated with having greater risk of low reserve of face masks, being worried about the disease and job loss/instability. Being deprived had worse physical (β=-0.154, p<0.001) and mental health (β=-0.211, p<0.001) and had an indirect effect on mental health via worry and job loss/instability (total indirect effect: β=-0.027, p=0.017; proportion being mediated=11.46%). In addition, significant interaction between deprivation and change of economic activity status was observed on mental health-related quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Even if the COVID-19 incidence was relatively low, part of the observed health inequality can be explained by people's concerns over livelihood and economic activity, which were affected by the containment measures. We should look beyond the incidence to address COVID-19 related health inequalities.

Examine the association between key determinants identified by the chronic disease indicator framework and multimorbidity by rural and urban settings

Background

Multimorbidity, often defined as having two or more chronic conditions is a global phenomenon. This study examined the association between key determinants identified by the chronic disease indicator framework and multimorbidity by rural and urban settings. The prevalence of individual diseases was also investigated by age and sex.

Methods

The Canada Community Health Survey and linked health administrative databases were used to examine the association between multimorbidity, sociodemographic, behavioral, and other risk factors in the province of Ontario. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to conduct the main analysis.

Results

Analyses were stratified by age (20-64 and 65-95) and area of residence (rural and urban). A total sample of n = 174,938 residents between the ages of 20-95 were examined in the Ontario province, of which 18.2% (n = 31,896) were multimorbid with 2 chronic conditions, and 23.4% (n = 40,883) with 3+ chronic conditions. Females had a higher prevalence of 2 conditions (17.9% versus 14.6%) and 3+ conditions (19.7% vs. 15.6%) relative to males. Out of all examined variables, poor self-perception of health, age, Body Mass Index, and income were most significantly associated with multimorbidity. Smoking was a significant risk factor in urban settings but not rural, while drinking was significant in rural and not urban settings. Income inequality was associated with multimorbidity with greater magnitude in rural areas. Prevalence of multimorbidity and having three or more chronic conditions were highest among low-income populations.

Conclusion

Interventions targeting population weight, age/sex specific disease burdens, and additional focus on stable income are encouraged.

Household and area-level social determinants of multimorbidity: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

No clear synthesis of evidence examining household and area-level social determinants of multimorbidity exists. This study aimed to systematically review the existing literature on associations between household and area-level social determinants of health (SDoH) and multimorbidity prevalence or incidence in the general population.

METHODS

Six databases (MedLine, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus and Scopus) were searched. The search was limited to peer-reviewed studies conducted in high-income countries and published in English between 2010 and 2019. A second reviewer screened all titles with abstracts and a subset of full texts. Study quality was assessed and protocol pre-registered (CRD42019135281).

RESULTS

41 studies spanning North America, Europe and Australasia were included. Household income and area-level deprivation were the most explored with fairly consistent findings. The odds of multimorbidity were up to 4.4 times higher for participants with the lowest level of income compared with the highest level. Those living in the most deprived areas had the highest prevalence or incidence of multimorbidity (pooled OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.41 to 1.42). Associations between deprivation and multimorbidity differed by age and multimorbidity type. Findings from the few studies investigating household tenure, household composition and area-level rurality were mixed and contradictory; homeownership and rurality were associated with increased and decreased multimorbidity, while living alone was found to be associated with a higher risk of multimorbidity and not associated.

CONCLUSION

Improving our understanding of broader social determinants of multimorbidity-particularly at the household level-could help inform strategies to tackle multimorbidity.

Can voucher scheme enhance primary care provision for older adults: cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

The Hong Kong government has launched the Elderly Health Care Voucher (EHCV) scheme to facilitate primary care in the private sector for older adults. This study aimed to examine whether voucher use was associated with a shift of healthcare burden from the public to the private sector, vaccine uptake and continuity of care.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey recruited older adults with ≥3 chronic diseases through convenience sampling from seven general outpatient clinics, seven geriatric day hospitals, and five specialist outpatient clinics of the public healthcare sector in Hong Kong. We used multiple logistic regression to address the study objective.

RESULTS

A total of 1032 patients participated in the survey. We included 714 participants aged 70 or above in the analysis. EHCV use was associated with higher utilization of private primary care services, including general practitioner and family doctor (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 2.67, 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) 1.51-4.72) and Chinese medicine clinic (AOR 3.53, 95%CI 1.47-8.49). There were no significant associations of EHCV use with public general outpatient clinic attendance, Accident & Emergency attendance, and hospitalization. Furthermore, EHCV users were more likely to receive pneumococcal vaccination (AOR 2.17, 95%CI 1.22-3.85) and were less likely to visit the same doctors for chronic disease management (AOR 0.10, 95%CI 0.01-0.73).

CONCLUSIONS

While the EHCV may promote private primary care utilization and preventive care, older patients continue to rely on public services and the EHCV may worsen continuity of care. Policy-makers should designate voucher usage for chronic disease management and continuity of care.

Association of time to diagnosis with socioeconomic position and geographical accessibility to healthcare among symptomatic COVID-19 patients: A retrospective study in Hong Kong

Early diagnosis is important to control COVID-19 outbreaks. This study aimed to assess how individual and area socioeconomic position and geographical accessibility to healthcare services were associated with the time to diagnosis among symptomatic COVID-19 patients in Hong Kong. Multivariable generalized linear regression was used to estimate the associations while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and case classification. This study found living in public rental housing and living in an area with low education were associated with longer time to diagnosis in the first wave of infections. Specifically, the risk of delayed diagnosis for public rental housing residents was mitigated by the higher density of public clinics/hospitals but was slightly increased by the higher density of private medical practitioners nearby. No such relations were found in the second wave of infections when the surveillance measures were enhanced. Given the grave impact of pandemics around the world, our findings call on taking inequalities into account when public health policies are being devised.

Chronic diseases: An added burden to income and expenses of chronically-ill people in Sri Lanka

In the global context, health and the quality of life of people are adversely affected by either one or more types of chronic diseases. This paper investigates the differences in the level of income and expenditure between chronically-ill people and non-chronic population. Data were gathered from a national level survey conducted namely, the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) of Sri Lanka. These data were statistically analysed with one-way and two-way ANOVA, to identify the factors that cause the differences among different groups. For the first time, this study makes an attempt using survey data, to examine the differences in the level of income and expenditure among chronically-ill people in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the study discovered that married females who do not engage in any type of economic activity (being unemployed due to the disability associated with the respective chronic illness), in the age category of 40-65, having an educational level of tertiary education or below and living in the urban sector have a higher likelihood of suffering from chronic diseases. If workforce population is compelled to lose jobs, it can lead to income insecurity and impair their quality of lives. Under above findings, it is reasonable to assume that most health care expenses are out of pocket. Furthermore, the study infers that chronic illnesses have a statistically proven significant differences towards the income and expenditure level. This has caused due to the interaction of demographic and socio-economic characteristics associated with chronic illnesses. Considering private-public sector partnerships that enable affordable access to health care services for all as well as implementation of commercial insurance and community-based mutual services that help ease burden to the public, are vital when formulating effective policies and strategies related to the healthcare sector. Sri Lanka is making strong efforts to support its healthcare sector and public, which was affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) in early 2020. Therefore, findings of this paper will be useful to gain insights on the differences of chronic illnesses towards the income and expenditure of chronically-ill patients in Sri Lanka.

Do chronic illnesses and poverty go hand in hand?

In the global context, the health and quality of life of people are adversely affected by either one or more types of chronic diseases. The chronic pain associated with diagnosed patients may include heavy medical expenditure along with the physical and mental suffering they undergo. Usually, unbearable amounts of medical expenses are incurred, to improve or sustain the health condition of the patient. Consequently, the heavy financial burden tends to push households from a comfortable or secure life, or even from bad to worse, towards the probability of becoming poor. Hence, this study is conducted to identify the impact chronic illnesses have on poverty using data from a national survey referred as the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES), with data gathered by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) of Sri Lanka in 2016. As such, this study is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, declaring the originality of the study based on data collected from the local arena. Accordingly, the study discovered that married females who do not engage in any type of economic activity, in the age category of 40-65, having an educational level of tertiary level or below and living in the urban sector have a higher likelihood of suffering from chronic diseases. Moreover, it was inferred that, if a person is deprived from access to basic education in the level of education, lives in the rural or estate sector, or suffers from a brain disease, cancer, heart disease or kidney disease, he is highly likely to be poor. Some insights concluded from this Sri Lankan case study can also be applied in the context of other developing countries, to minimise chronic illnesses and thereby the probability of falling into poverty.

Multimorbidity of chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review

Background:

Multimorbidity is rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the evidence on its epidemiology from LMICs settings is limited and the available literature has not been synthesized as yet.

Objectives:

To review the available evidence on the epidemiology of multimorbidity in LMICs.

Methods:

PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Grey literature databases were searched. We followed the PRISMA-ScR reporting guideline.

Results:

Of 33, 110 articles retrieved, 76 studies were eligible for the epidemiology of multimorbidity. Of these 76 studies, 66 (86.8%) were individual country studies. Fifty-two (78.8%) of which were confined to only six middle-income countries: Brazil, China, South Africa, India, Mexico and Iran. The majority (n = 68, 89.5%) of the studies were crosssectional in nature. The sample size varied from 103 to 242, 952. The largest proportion (n = 33, 43.4%) of the studies enrolled adults. Marked variations existed in defining and measuring multimorbidity. The prevalence of multimorbidity in LMICs ranged from 3.2% to 90.5%.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

Studies on the epidemiology of multimorbidity in LMICs are limited and the available ones are concentrated in few countries. Despite variations in measurement and definition, studies consistently reported high prevalence of multimorbidity. Further research is urgently required to better understand the epidemiology of multimorbidity and define the best possible interventions to improve outcomes of patients with multimorbidity in LMICs.

Sociodemographic and lifestyle predictors of incident hospital admissions with multimorbidity in a general population, 1999-2019: the EPIC-Norfolk cohort

BACKGROUND

The ageing population and prevalence of long-term disorders with multimorbidity are a major health challenge worldwide. The associations between comorbid conditions and mortality risk are well established; however, few prospective community-based studies have reported on prior risk factors for incident hospital admissions with multimorbidity. We aimed to explore the independent associations for a range of demographic, lifestyle and physiological determinants and the likelihood of subsequent hospital incident multimorbidity.

METHODS

We examined incident hospital admissions with multimorbidity in 25 014 men and women aged 40-79 in a British prospective population-based study recruited in 1993-1997 and followed up until 2019. The determinants of incident multimorbidity, defined as Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3, were investigated using multivariable logistic regression models for the 10-year period 1999-2009 and repeated with independent measurements in a second 10-year period 2009-2019.

RESULTS

Between 1999 and 2009, 18 179 participants (73% of the population) had a hospital admission. Baseline 5-year and 10-year incident multimorbidities were observed in 6% and 12% of participants, respectively. Age per 10-year increase (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.06 to 2.33) and male sex (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.47) predicted incident multimorbidity over 10 years. In the subset free of the most serious diseases at baseline, current smoking (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.60 to 2.15), body mass index >30 kg/m² (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.70) and physical inactivity (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.29) were positively associated and plasma vitamin C (a biomarker of plant food intake) per SD increase (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.91) inversely associated with incident 10-year multimorbidity after multivariable adjustment for age, sex, social class, education, alcohol consumption, systolic blood pressure and cholesterol. Results were similar when re-examined for a further time period in 2009-2019.

CONCLUSION

Age, male sex and potentially modifiable lifestyle behaviours including smoking, body mass index, physical inactivity and low fruit and vegetable intake were associated with increased risk of future incident hospital admissions with multimorbidity.

How does chronic multimorbidity affect daily routines? An experience sampling study of community-dwelling adults in Hong Kong

Limited by conventional data collection methods, it is unclear how community-dwelling multimorbid people's daily routines are affected by their co-occurring illnesses. This study investigated the differences in everyday life schedules between multimorbid and nonmultimorbid people. Three hundred community-dwelling adults, representative of the Hong Kong Chinese population, provided real-time self-reports of daily routines over a 7-day study period. Stratified by baseline multimorbidity status, we implemented generalized linear mixed models (binomial) for each of the four outcomes: meal, chores, conversation, and work/school, with time intervals as independent variable and potential confounders adjusted. The odds of engaging in these activities were compared between multimorbid and nonmultimorbid participants by time intervals. Significant differences were identified. Unlike nonmultimorbid participants, late evening (22:00-24:00) was estimated to be the most frequently observed meal time among multimorbid participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.59-26.01 vs. 14:00-16:00), who also did chores significantly earlier in the morning (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.09-3.58 in 8:00-10:00 vs. 14:00-16:00). Conversations were significantly less likely among multimorbid participants throughout the day. Last, multimorbid participants seemed to have less typical working/schooling hours. Further studies are warranted to investigate how these disruptions may lead to lower levels of quality of life and poorer mental health.

Multimorbidity and cardiovascular disease: a perspective on low- and middle-income countries

New and changing patterns of multimorbidity (MM), i.e., multiple concurrent acute or chronic diseases in a person, are emerging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The interplay of underlying population-specific factors and lifestyle habits combined with the colliding epidemics of communicable and non-communicable diseases presents new disease combinations, complexities and risks that are not common in high-income countries (HICs). The complexities and risks include those arising from potentially harmful drug-drug and drug-disease interactions (DDIs), the management of which may be considered as MM in the true sense. A major concern in LMICs is the increasing burden of leading cardiovascular diseases, prevalence of associated risk factors and co-occurrence with other morbidities. New models of MM management and integrated care can respond to the needs of specific multimorbid populations, with some LMICs making substantial progress (e.g., integration of tuberculosis and HIV services in South Africa). But there is a dearth of relevant data on the changing patterns and underlying factors and determinants of MM, the associated complexities and risks of DDIs in MM management, and the barriers to integrated care in LMICs. This requires careful attention.

Income-Related Inequalities in Chronic Disease Situation Among the Chinese Population Aged Above 45 Years

There is relatively little published on the socioeconomic distribution of chronic disease burden in older people. This study aims to quantify income-related inequalities in chronic disease situation among ≥45-year-old people in China. Data were collected from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Self-reported chronic conditions included 14 diseases (ie, heart problem, diabetes). Multivariate Generalized Quasi-Poisson Regression was used to evaluate associations between prevalence and personal income. Prevalence of hypertension was highest among people above ≥ 75 (male participants 44.41%, female participants 47.53%). Heart problem prevalence increased with age. Chronic disease prevalence among population aged 45 to 59 years was greatly affected by income. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were highest for heart problems in 45 to 59 middle-income male participants and for memory-related diseases in 45 to 59 middle-income female participants. Significant inequalities in chronic conditions prevalence persist into old age, particularly among 45- to 59-year-old people. Opposite to developed countries, the prevalence of some chronic disease (ie, heart problem) is higher in richer populations in China. These findings pose the policy challenge of needing to prevent such inequalities in older years.

Measuring the impact of chronic conditions and associated multimorbidity on health-related quality of life in the general population in Hong Kong SAR, China: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

The aims of this study were to 1) evaluate the impact of eight common chronic conditions and multimorbidity on preference-based health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and 2) estimate the minimally important difference (MID) in the general population of Hong Kong (HK).

Design

Data were analyzed using secondary data analysis based on a cross-sectional, population-based validation study of HK’s general population.

Participants

A representative sample was recruited across eighteen geographical districts in HK, and 1,014 HK Chinese residents aged 18 years and older participated in the survey. The prevalence of chronic conditions among the respondents was 30.3%.

Interventions

The HRQoL was assessed using the locally validated version of EQ-5D-5L. The five-dimension descriptive system, and the utility scores of EQ-5D-5L were used as the dependent variable in the study. Eight common chronic conditions, multimorbidity, and demographic characteristics were defined as predictors in the analysis. Chi-squared test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), logistic regression, and Tobit regression models were used to analyze the data. A simulation-based approach was used to calculate the MID based on instrument-defined single level transitions.

Results

The findings indicated that respondents with physical disabilities were more likely to report problems on all five dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L than those with other chronic conditions. In addition, respondents with multiple chronic conditions were more likely to report health problems and lower utility scores of EQ-5D-5L. The mean of MID estimates among the respondents in HK was 0.093 (standard deviation = 0.001), which is higher than in other Asian countries.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that having more chronic conditions is strongly associated with a lower HRQoL. Healthcare reforms to address foreseeable challenges arising as more patients live with chronic conditions and multimorbidity could improve the HRQoL of HK citizens.

Multimorbidity and lifestyle factors among adults with intellectual disabilities: a cross-sectional analysis of a UK cohort

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity [two or more conditions in addition to intellectual disability (ID)] is known to be more common among people with ID. However, the relationship between multimorbidity and lifestyle factors is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of multimorbidity in a population of adults with ID. We also aimed to identify risk factors, including lifestyle factors, for multimorbidity in this population.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analysis using data from a diabetes screening study of 920 adults aged 18-74 years with ID living in Leicestershire, UK. We described comorbidities and the prevalence of multimorbidity in this population. We explored the relationship between multimorbidity and age, gender, ethnicity, severity of ID, socio-economic status, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking status using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

The prevalence of multimorbidity was 61.2% (95% CI 57.7-64.7). Multimorbidity was independently associated with being female (P < 0.001) and severe/profound ID (P = 0.004). Increasing age was of borderline significance (P = 0.06). Individuals who were physically inactive or sedentary were more likely to be multimorbid, independent of ability to walk, age, gender, severity of ID, ethnicity and socio-economic status (adjusted OR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.23-2.97; P = 0.004 and OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.42-2.77; P < 0.001). After excluding probable life-long conditions (autism spectrum conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes) as contributing comorbidities, the effect of sedentary behaviour, but not physical activity, remained (P = 0.004). We did not observe a relationship between multimorbidity, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking status.

CONCLUSIONS

Multimorbidity presents a significant burden to people with ID. Individuals who were physically inactive or sedentary were more likely to be multimorbid, but further work is recommended to explore the relationship between multimorbidity and lifestyle factors using standardised objective measures.

Multimorbidity in middle age predicts more subsequent hospital admissions than in older age: A nine-year retrospective cohort study of 121,188 discharged in-patients

BACKGROUND

Previous research has suggested a differential short-term effect of multimorbidity on hospitalization by age, with younger groups affected more. This study compares the nine-year hospitalization pattern by age and multimorbidity status in a retrospective cohort of discharged in-patients, who represent a high-need portion of the population.

METHODS

We examined routine clinical records of all patients aged 45+ years with chronic conditions discharged from public general hospitals in 2005 in Hong Kong. Patterns of annual frequencies of hospital admissions and number of hospitalized days over nine years (2005-2014) were compared by multimorbidity status (1, 2, 3+ conditions) and age group (45-64, 65-74, 75+).

RESULTS

Among 121,188 included patients, 33.9% had 2+ conditions and 12.3% had 3+. Hospitalization patterns varied by age and multimorbidity status. For those having only 1 condition, annual number of admissions was similar by age, but older patients had more hospitalized days (4.40 days per person-year for the 45-64 group versus 10.29 for the 75+ group in the 5th year). For those with 3+ conditions, younger patients had more admissions (4.39 admissions per person-year for the 45-64 group versus 1.87 for the 75+ group in the 5th year) but similar number of hospitalized days with older patients. Interaction analysis showed effect of multimorbidity on hospitalization was stronger in younger groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Middle-aged discharged in-patients with multimorbidity are admitted more often than their older counterparts and have similar total hospitalized days per year. Further research is needed to investigate chronic care needs of younger people with multimorbidity.

Sex-specific intergenerational trends in morbidity burden and multimorbidity status in Hong Kong community: an age-period-cohort analysis of repeated population surveys

OBJECTIVES

Prevalence of multimorbidity has been increasing worldwide. While population ageing undoubtedly contributes, secular trends have seldom been decomposed into age, period and cohort effects to investigate intergenerational differences. This study examines the birth cohort effect on morbidity burden and multimorbidity in Hong Kong community.

DESIGN

Sex-specific age-period-cohort analysis with repeated cross-sectional surveys.

SETTING

A territory-wide population survey database.

PARTICIPANTS

69 636 adults aged 35 or above who participated in the surveys in 1999, 2001, 2005 or 2008.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Morbidity burden was operationalised as number of chronic conditions from a list of 14, while multimorbidity was defined as a dichotomous status of whether participants had two or more conditions.

RESULTS

For both sexes, there was an upward inflection (positive change) of risk of increased morbidity burden starting from cohort 1955-1959. For men born after 1945-1954, there was a trend of lower risk (relative risk=0.63, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.80 for 1950-1954 vs 1935-1939) which continued through subsequent cohorts but with no further declines. In women, there had been a gradual increase of risk, although only significant for cohort 1970-1974 (relative risk=1.90, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.34 vs 1935-1939). Similar results were found for dichotomous multimorbidity status.

CONCLUSIONS

The trend of lower risk starting from men born in 1945-1954 may be due to a persistent decline in smoking rates since the 1980s. On the other hand, the childhood obesity epidemic starting from the late 1950s coincided with the observed upward inflection of risk for both sexes, that is, notably more drastic increase of risk in women and the levelling-off of the decline of risk in men. These findings highlight that the cohort effects on morbidity burden and multimorbidity may be sex-specific and contextual. By examining such effects in different world populations, localised sex-specific and generation-specific risk factors can be identified to inform policy-making.

Factors associated with multimorbidity in the elderly: an integrative literature review

Abstract Objective: The objective of the present study was to identify factors associated with multimorbidity in the elderly through an integrative literature review. Method: The “Cochrane Library”, “MEDLINE”, “Web of Science”, “Scopus” and “LILACS” databases were used, as well as the “SciELO” virtual library and the electronic search engine “Google Academic”. The following search terms were applied: “multimorbidity”; “multi-morbidity”; “comorbidity; “multiple diseases”; “elderly”; “major adults”, “older people”, “older persons”, “aged”, “associated factors”, “correlated factors”, “socioeconomic factors” and “demographic factors.” The inclusion criterion was that the object of the study was the elderly population with multimorbidity. Studies in which multimorbidity was not the dependent variable were excluded. Results: a total of seven articles were included in this review. A prevalence of multimorbidity in the elderly ranging from 30.7% to 57% was found. The associated factors were smoking, alcohol consumption, lived in rural areas, low levels of schooling, the female gender, older elderly persons and not living with children. In the majority of articles a low level of family income was also associated with multimorbidity. Conclusion: The results suggest that multimorbidity in the elderly is a common condition and that it is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic factors, lifestyle and family structure.

Childhood adversity: A gateway to multimorbidity in older age?

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity, or co-occurrence of several chronic diseases, has major consequences in terms of function, quality of life and mortality. Recent advances suggest that the aetiology of multimorbidity includes a life-long process. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between childhood adversity and multimorbidity in community-dwelling older adults, and to investigate variation in participants born immediately before, during and at the end of the Second World War.

METHODS

Participants were 4731 community-dwelling older adults who enrolled in the Lausanne cohort 65+ study (Switzerland) at age 65-70 years in 2004/2009/2014. A baseline questionnaire provided several indicators of childhood adversity including premature birth, food restrictions, child labour, family economic environment, serious illness/accident, and stressful life events. Multimorbidity at age 67-72 years was defined as ≥2 active chronic diseases at the 2-year follow-up questionnaire.

RESULTS

All childhood adversity indicators except premature birth were significantly associated with multimorbidity. Odds ratio (OR) ranged from 1.23 (P = 0.034) for poor family economic environment to 1.74 (P < 0.001) for stressful life events. In a multivariable model adjusted for socioeconomic status, health behaviours and stressful life events in adulthood (>16 years), a history of serious illness/accident (OR = 1.45; P < 0.001) and stressful life events (OR = 1.42; P = 0.001) in childhood remained significantly associated with multimorbidity. Comparisons between cohorts indicated substantial variations in the prevalence of childhood adversity indicators but similar associations with multimorbidity.

CONCLUSION

There was an independent association between childhood adversity and multimorbidity after age 65. This study encourages a comprehensive life-course perspective to better understand and potentially prevent multimorbidity.

The Role of Senior Housing in Hospitalizations Among Vulnerable Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Longitudinal Perspective

Background and Objectives

This study focuses on vulnerable elders (i.e., those with moderate or low incomes who live alone) and examines to what extent a senior housing environment moderates the effects of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) on hospitalization over time.

Research Design and Methods

Data came from six waves (2002-2012) of the Health Retirement Study (N = 1,401 individuals, 3,705 observations). Mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression modeling estimated the effects of senior housing on changes in hospitalization.

Results

Vulnerable elders with MCCs were more likely to be hospitalized at both moderate and heavy levels at baseline. Consistent with the environment docility hypothesis, findings show that older individuals with MCCs who live in a senior housing environment have fewer hospitalizations over time.

Discussions and Implications

As one of the first efforts to build empirical knowledge on health care use among vulnerable elders in senior housing, our findings underscore the importance of continued research into these environments as a possible alternative to existing models.

A more comprehensive investigation of disability and associated factors among older adults receiving home-based care in rural Dongguan, China

Background

No previous study has evaluated disability in older persons according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework guidelines. We conducted a more comprehensive investigation of disability and associated factors among older adults receiving home-based care in rural Dongguan, a city in the central Guangdong Province of Southern China.

Methods

A total of 819 individuals aged ≥60 years were recruited from Dongguan home-based care system of via a two-stage selection process. We interviewed participants and assessed their ability level using the Ability Assessment for Older Adults, which defined by a combination of activity of daily living, sensory perception, mental status and social involvement. Conditional probability and Logistic regression approaches were used to assess the strength of association between each pair of conditions. Factors significantly associated with disability were identified via χ² tests and multinomial ordinal logistic regression.

Results

Of the 819 included participants (mean age 87 ±4.7 years), 75.5% were female, 76.7% had any disability, and 62.3% had a mild disability. The occurrence of any deficits significantly increased the likelihood of the co-occurrence of other deficits (odds ratio [OR] > 1, P < 0.05), with the lowest prevalence odds ratio observed among individuals with sensory and communication deficiency (OR: 2.99; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.21–4.05). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis indicated that physical activity (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93–0.99), sedentary behavior (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.13–1.38), not watching television (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.07–2.72) and age (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02–1.17) were significantly associated with disability.

Conclusions

Impairment of ADL, sensory perception, mental status or social involvement increased the likelihood of risk of the co-occurrence of other deficits. Comprehensive disability among older adults receiving home-based care is associated with age, sedentariness, physical activity and TV viewing.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12877-018-0852-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability overlap and increase healthcare use among older Chinese

Background

Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability are prevalent among ageing population. However, no study empirically examined their additive or synergistic effect on healthcare use. The present study aims to estimate overlapping prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability; and to examine associations of these three conditions with healthcare use.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above in 12 Hong Kong districts. Pearson’s chi-squared test for trend was performed to examine prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability across three age groups (60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to explore associations of these three conditions with three types of healthcare use (hospital admission, general outpatient clinic and specialist outpatient clinic attendance) respectively.

Results

Among 2618 participants, 75.3, 41.8, and 22.5% had geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability respectively, and 10.4% had all the three conditions. Prevalence of the three conditions and their coexistence significantly increased with age (p for trend < .001). Each condition was independently associated with at least two out of three types of healthcare use. Interestingly, the associations of multimorbidity and disability with specialist outpatient clinic attendance were weakened at older age, while the associations of geriatric syndromes with hospital admission and specialist outpatient clinic attendance were strengthened. Furthermore, the odds of all the three types of healthcare use increased with the number of conditions present (p for trend < .001).

Conclusions

Our findings support that the three conditions overlap and increase healthcare use. Early identification, prevention and intervention targeting older adults living with multiple healthcare needs are necessary.

Deprivation is associated with worse physical and mental health beyond income poverty: a population-based household survey among Chinese adults

PURPOSE

In studying health inequality, poverty as measured by income is frequently used; however, this omits the aspects of non-monetary resources and social barriers to achieving improved living standard. Therefore, our study aimed to examine the associations of individual-level deprivation of material and social necessities with general physical and mental health beyond that of income poverty.

METHODS

A territory-wide two-stage stratified random sample of 2282 community-dwelling Hong Kong adults was surveyed between 2014 and 2015. Income poverty and a Deprivation Index were used as the main independent variables. General health was assessed using the validated 12-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2, from which physical component summary and mental component summary were derived.

RESULTS

Our results in multivariable ordinal logistic regressions consistently showed that, after adjusting for income poverty, socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, being deprived was significantly associated with worse physical (OR 1.66; CI 1.25-2.20) and mental health (OR 1.83; CI 1.43-2.35). Being income poor was also significantly associated with worse mental health (OR 1.63; CI 1.28-2.09) but only marginally with physical health (OR 1.34; CI 1.00-1.80) after adjustments.

CONCLUSIONS

Income does not capture all aspects of poverty that are associated with adverse health outcomes. Deprivation of non-monetary resources has an independent effect on general health above and beyond the effect of income poverty. Policies should move beyond endowment and take into account the multidimensionality of poverty, in order to address the problem of health inequality.

Regular physical activity eliminates the harmful association of television watching with multimorbidity. A cross-sectional study from the European Social Survey

The aims of the study were to analyse the association of television viewing, physical activity (PA), and multimorbidity; and to understand if PA attenuates or eliminates the detrimental associations between television viewing and multimorbidity. This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the European Social Survey round 7, 2014. Participants were 32,931 adults (15,784 men), aged 18-114 years old, from 18 European countries. Self-reported information regarding chronic diseases (CD), PA and time watching television were collected through interview. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyse the association between watching television and PA with the presence of multimorbidity (≥1 CD). Men and women who watched television had increased odds of having multimorbidity. When considering PA it was observed that, independently of television viewing, compared to engaging in PA for ≤1 day/week, engaging in 2-4 days/week and in ≥5 days/week was inversely associated with multimorbidity. Increased odds of multimorbidity were observed for men spending >3 h/day watching television in the 2-3 days/week and ≤1 day/week categories of PA. For women engaged in 30 min of physical activity 2-3 days/week, spending >3 h/day watching television was associated with higher odds for multimorbidity. For adults who practiced physical activity on ≥ 5 days/week watching television was not associated with multimorbidity. Time spent watching television is associated with multimorbidity. However, physical activity participation can attenuate or even eliminate this association.

Educational inequality in Rio de Janeiro and its impact on multimorbidity: evidence from the Pró-Saúde study. A cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

Information about multimorbidity is scarce in developing countries. This study aimed to estimate the association of educational attainment with occurrences of multimorbidity in a population of public employees on university campuses in Rio de Janeiro.

DESIGN AND SETTING

We conducted cross-sectional analyses on baseline data (1999-2001) from 3,253 participants in the Pró-Saúde study, conducted in Brazil.

METHODS

The prevalence of multimorbidity, defined as a self-reported history of medical diagnoses of two or more chronic conditions, was estimated according to sex, age, smoking, obesity and educational level. The association between education and multimorbidity was estimated using odds ratios (OR) and the relative and slope indices of inequality, in order to quantify the degree of educational inequality among individuals with multimorbidity in this population.

RESULTS

Greater age, female sex, smoking and obesity had direct associations with multimorbidity; and tobacco exposure and obesity also showed direct relationships with poorer educational level. There was a monotonic inverse linear trend between educational level and the presence of multimorbidity among women, with twice the odds (OR 2.47; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.42-4.40) between extremities of schooling categories. There was excess multimorbidity of 22% at the lowest extremity of schooling, thus showing that women with worse educational status were more affected by the outcome. No trend and no excess multimorbidity was seen among men.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational inequality is an important determinant for development of multimorbidity. Men and women experience its effect differently. Researchers need to consider that sex may be an effect modifier in multimorbidity studies.

Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases and Multimorbidity in a Primary Care Context of Central Argentina: A Web-Based Interactive and Cross-Sectional Study

Global health agencies estimate an increase of chronic diseases in South America. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated chronic diseases and their risk factors in the perspective of multimorbidity. This research aimed to identify these aspects in a primary health care setting of central Argentina. The Pan America version of the STEP wise approach surveillance (STEPS) instrument of the World Health Organization was applied to 1044 participants, 365 men and 679 women, with a mean age of 43 years. High prevalence of overweight (33.5%), obesity (35.2%), central obesity (54%), dyslipidemia (43.5%), metabolic syndrome (21.1%), low intake of fruit and vegetables (91.8%), low levels of physical activity (71.5%), risky alcohol consumption (28%), and smoking (22.5%) were detected. Hypertension and diabetes were the most prevalent chronic conditions and the total prevalence of multimorbidity was 33.1%, with 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 chronic conditions found in 19.9%, 9.1%, 2.6%, 1.1% and 0.4% of the population, respectively. Multimorbidity affected 6.4% of the young, 31.7% of the adults, and 60.6% of the elderly, and was more prevalent among women, and in participants with lower levels of education. Having multimorbidity was significantly associated with obesity, central obesity, and higher concentrations of total blood cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. A website was made available to the participants in order to share the experimental results and health-promoting information.

Social and health-related factors associated with refraining from seeking dental care: A cross-sectional population study

BACKGROUND

Social inequities are considered to affect healthcare utilization, whereas less is known about the factors associated with refraining from seeking dental care. This study aimed to investigate whether people with no social support, long-term illness, caregiver burden and low socioeconomic status (SES) refrained from seeking dental care in higher proportion than the general Swedish population.

METHODS

This study used cross-sectional questionnaire data from repeated nationwide health surveys during 2004-2013 of a total of 90 845 people. The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, social support, long-term illness, caregiving burden, SES and dental care-seeking behaviour. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlation analyses and logistic regressions were used to investigate associations between independent variables and dental care-seeking behaviour.

RESULTS

In the total sample, 15.1% of respondents reported refraining from seeking dental care. Having no emotional social support or having no instrumental social support was separately associated with reporting refraining from seeking dental care in adjusted multivariate models (odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-1.34 and OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.67-2.13, respectively). Having a long-term illness was associated with refraining from seeking dental care in adjusted models (adjusted OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.35-1.51). Furthermore, being an informal caregiver was associated with refraining from seeking dental care (adjusted OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07-1.23). Low SES was associated with higher refraining from seeking dental care; the strongest association was with having financial problems (adjusted OR: 3.57, 95% CI: 3.19-4.00). Interaction effects were found between education level and SES, and between social support and long-term illness, and the outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings in this study imply that having no social support, having long-term illness, being informal caregiver or having financial problems are factors associated with reporting refraining from seeking dental care, on a population basis.

The association between types of regular primary care and hospitalization among people with and without multimorbidity: A household survey on 25,780 Chinese

Using data collected from 25,780 Hong Kong citizens in a household survey, this study aimed to investigate the association between having regular source of primary care and hospitalization amongst people with and without multimorbidity (two or more chronic conditions). Potential interaction effects of regular primary care with multimorbidity were also examined. Results revealed a significant association between having regular source of primary care from General Practitioners and reduced hospitalization amongst respondents with multimorbidity (RR = 0.772; 95% CI = 0.667-0.894), adjusting for other potential confounding factors (i.e., socio-demographic factors and medical insurance and benefits). In contrast, having regular Specialist care was significantly associated with increased risk of hospitalization among both people with multimorbidity (RR = 1.619; 95% CI = 1.256-2.087) and without multimorbidity (RR = 1.981; 95% CI = 1.246-3.149), adjusting for potential confounders. A dose-response relationship between the number of chronic diseases and hospitalization was also observed, regardless of whether participants had regular source of primary care or not; relative risks and predicted probabilities for hospitalization were generally greater for those without regular source of primary care. Further studies are warranted to explore the role of healthcare system, informatics, organizational and practice-related factors on healthcare and functional outcomes.

Multimorbidity: Epidemiology and Risk Factors in the Golestan Cohort Study, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Advances in medicine and health policy have resulted in growing of older population, with a concurrent rise in multimorbidity, particularly in Iran, as a country transitioning to a western lifestyle, and in which the percent of the population over the age of 60 years is increasing. This study aims to assess multimorbidity and the associated risk factors in Iran. We used data from 50,045 participants (age 40-75 y) in the Golestan Cohort Study, including data on demographics, lifestyle habits, socioeconomic status, and anthropometric indices. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of 2 or more out of 8 self-reported chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, tuberculosis, and cancer. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between multiple different factors and the risk factors. Multimorbidity prevalence was 19.4%, with the most common chronic diseases being gastroesophageal reflux disease (76.7%), cardiovascular diseases (72.7%), diabetes (25.3%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (21.9%). The odds of multimorbidity was 2.56-fold higher at the age of >60 years compared with that at <50 years (P < 0.001), and 2.11-fold higher in women than in men (P < 0.001). Other factors associated with higher risk of multimorbidity included non-Turkmen ethnicity, low education, unemployment, low socioeconomic status, physical inactivity, overweight, obesity, former smoking, opium and alcohol use, and poor oral health. Apart from advanced age and female sex, the most important potentially modifiable lifestyle factors, including excess body weight and opium use, and opium user, are associated with multimorbidity. Policies aiming at controlling multimorbidity will require a multidimensional approach to reduce modifiable risk factors in the younger population in developing countries alongside adopting efficient strategies to improve life quality in the older population.