Yadav UN, Ghimire S, Mistry SK, Shanmuganathan S, Rawal LB, Harris M. Prevalence of non-communicable chronic conditions, multimorbidity and its correlates among older adults in rural Nepal: a cross-sectional study.
BMJ Open 2021;
11:e041728. [PMID:
33632751 PMCID:
PMC7908905 DOI:
10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041728]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
This study's objectives were to estimate the prevalence of major non-communicable conditions and multimorbidity among older adults in rural Nepal and examine the associated socioeconomic and behavioural risk factors.
DESIGN
This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted between January and April 2018.
SETTING
Rural municipalities of Sunsari and Morang districts in eastern Nepal.
PARTICIPANTS
794 older Nepalese adults, 60 years and older, were recruited using a multistage cluster sampling approach.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES
Prevalence of four major non-communicable chronic conditions (osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and multimorbidity.
RESULTS
Almost half (48.9%: men 45.3%; women 52.4%) of the participants had at least one of four non-communicable chronic conditions, and 14.6% (men 12.5%; women 16.8%) had two or more conditions. The prevalence of individual conditions included: osteoarthritis-41.7% (men 37.5%; women 45.9%), cardiovascular disease-2.4% (men 2.8%; women 2.0%), diabetes-5.3% (men 6.0%; women 4.6%) and COPD-15.4% (men 13.3%; women 17.5%). In the adjusted model, older adults aged 70-79 years (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.62; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.54), those from Madhesi and other ethnic groups (AOR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.72), without a history of alcohol drinking (AOR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.01) and those physically inactive (AOR: 5.02; 95% CI: 1.47 to 17.17) had significantly higher odds of multimorbidity.
CONCLUSIONS
This study found one in seven study participants had multimorbidity. The prevalence of multimorbidity and associated socioeconomic and behavioural correlates need to be addressed by integrating social programmes with health prevention and management at multiple levels. Moreover, a longitudinal study is suggested to understand the temporal relationship between lifestyle predictors and multimorbidity among older Nepalese adults.
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