Key result
Depressive symptoms and multimorbidity linked to ~450% higher odds of fair or poor self-rated health.
Why the study?
Multimorbidity and depressive symptoms are common in older adults, and their association with self-rated health in this population was not well characterized.
Is the combination of depressive symptoms and multimorbidity associated with worse self-rated health in older adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=2,000)
Is the combination of depressive symptoms and multimorbidity associated with worse self-rated health in older adults?
Odds Ratio: 5.5 (95% CI 3.86–7.95)
p-value: p=<0.001
The combination of depressive symptoms and multimorbidity is strongly associated with poor self-rated health in older adults.
May warrant screening in multimorbid older adults; leaves open causal effects and intervention benefits.
Background: Multimorbidity and depressive symptoms (DSs) are common in older adults. Self-rated health (SRH) allows detection of elderly adults with a high burden of multimorbidity plus depression. The aim of this study was to test the association of groups of multimorbidity and DS on SRH in Colombian older adults. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2012 in Bogotá, Colombia, called "Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento" (Health, Well-being, and Aging), including 2000 community-dwelling adults 60 years of age or older. SRH was assessed with the question "How would you rate your health?" giving five possible answers. DSs were rated using the 15-question version of the geriatric depression scale, and multimorbidity was defined as having two or more chronic diseases. A logistic regression model was used to identify the association between grouped DS and multimorbidity with SRH. Results: Groups were distributed as follows: 678 with no DS/no multimorbidity (33.9%), 808 with only multimorbidity (40%), 128 with DS only (6.4%), and 386 with DS/multimorbidity (19.3%). An association of fair/poor SRH with DS/multimorbidity group was found (odds ratio 5.5; 95% confidence interval 3.86-7.95, p < 0.001) when compared to subjects without any of those conditions. Conclusion: There was an incremental association between DS and multimorbidity with SRH. An older adult referring to his or her own health with a negative connotation should alert to a higher burden of diseases, including DS.
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Camargo-Casas et al. (2018) conducted a cross-sectional in Multimorbidity and depressive symptoms (n=2,000). Depressive symptoms and multimorbidity vs. No depressive symptoms and no multimorbidity was evaluated on Fair or poor self-rated health (SRH) (OR 5.5, 95% CI 3.86-7.95, p=<0.001). The combination of depressive symptoms and multimorbidity was strongly associated with fair or poor self-rated health (OR 5.5) compared to older adults without either condition.
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