Morbidity matters: challenges for research

Multimorbidity is an immediate and expanding challenge for many health systems, including the NHS. It can be defined as the coexistence of several chronic diseases or medical conditions in one person. It is increasingly common among older people, as effective interventions reduce fatal events but increase the prevalent disease population, and life expectancy of the general population continues to rise. As a result, multimorbidity is now a fundamental care issue that presents a number of complex challenges for health systems, patients, and clinicians to address.