February 1, 1989Journal of Aging and Health
The Health Consequences of Multiple Morbidity in the Elderly
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Discussion
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Implication
Cohort study finds baseline comorbidity predicts new chronic conditions and depression in older adults, highlighting long-term illness burden.
Key Points
- To examine the long-term health consequences of comorbidity—defined as two or more chronic conditions or symptoms—on mortality, subsequent disease incidence, and depression.
- Analyzed longitudinal data from two age cohorts in the Alameda County Study.
- Tracked the development of multiple new conditions and depressive symptoms over a 9-year follow-up, and evaluated all-cause mortality over a 17-year follow-up.
- Evaluated outcomes using age-adjusted models as well as models adjusted for sociodemographic factors and health behaviors.
- Baseline comorbidity remained significantly associated with the development of multiple new chronic conditions over 9 years in both age groups after full adjustments.
- Comorbidity remained significantly associated with depressive symptoms at 9 years only in the younger age cohort after adjusting for sociodemographics and health behaviors.
- The initial age-adjusted association between baseline comorbidity and 17-year mortality became statistically nonsignificant in both age groups after controlling for sociodemographics and health behaviors.
Cite This Study
Seeman et al. (1989) studied this question.