Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1
Domain patterns in 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more domain combinations.
Note: Denominators for 1 or more domains, n = 5,405; for 2 or more domains, n = 3,753; for 3 or more domains, n = 2,499; and for 4 or more domains, n = 1,651.
- Figure 2
Severity index distribution within age-groups.
- Figure 3
Frequency of domain scores by severity index category.
- Figure 4
Comparison of prevalence of multimorbidity within age-groups with other studies.
Tables
Characteristic Practice A Practice B Overall Australian Population Number of patients 4,583 2,664 7,247 … Sex, % Male 39.3 45.2 41.5 49.7a Females 60.7 54.8 58.5 50.3a Age, average (SD), y Overall 36.2 (21.1) 42.2 (24.7) 38.4 (22.7) 37.8b Male 35.1 (22.3) 44.7 (24.7) 39.0 (23.8) 37.0b Female 36.9 (20.3) 40.2 (24.5) 38.0 (21.9) 38.6b Age range Male 2 mo – 92 y 3 mo–99 y 2 mo – 99 y … Female 1 mo – 98 y 1 mo–99 y 1 mo – 99 y … Patients within age category, % (n)c <25 y 28.9 (1,326) 29.1 (776) 29.0 (2,102) 33.3b 25–44 y 35.7 (1,635) 24.1 (642) 31.4 (2,277) 28.5b 45–64 y 27.1 (1,243) 24.8 (661) 26.3 (1,904) 25.0b 65–74 y 4.6 (211) 10.4 (277) 6.7 ( 488) 7.0b ≥75 y 3.7 (168) 11.6 (308) 6.6 ( 476) 6.2b Age Category, Yearsa Domain Frequencies <25 (n=2,102) 25–44 (n=2,277) 45–64 (n=1,904) 65–74 (n=488) ≥75 (n=476) 1 Domain only, % (n)b Musculoskeletal/integumental 22.8 (377) 8.56 (180) 5.05 (115) 3.89 (74) 1.43 (7) 0.21 (1) Respiratory 17.3 (285) 5.57 (117) 5.27 (120) 2.15 (41) 1.43 (7) 0.00 Psychiatric 16.2 (268) 3.66 (77) 6.81 (155) 1.73 (33) 0.61 (3) 0.00 Eye, ear, nose and throat 11.6 (191) 7.09 (149) 1.14 (26) 0.68 (13) 0.41 (2) 0.21 (1) Genitourinary 8.3 (137) 1.86 (39) 3.25 (74) 1.16 (22) 0.41 (2) 0.00 ≥1 Domain, % (n)c Musculoskeletal/integumental 46.4 (2,507) 18.65 (392) 25.60 (538) 46.38 (883) 56.35 (275) 78.57 (374) Psychiatric 34.6 (1,871) 9.85 (207) 28.81 (656) 33.09 (630) 30.94 (151) 47.69 (227) Respiratory 34.0 (1,838) 16.08 (338) 24.33 (554) 35.61 (678) 32.99 (161) 22.48 (107) Vascular 28.2 (1,527) 0.43 (9) 6.06 (138) 35.29 (672) 66.39 (324) 80.67 (384) Endocrine 28.0 (1,512) 2.19 (46) 12.60 (287) 39.23 (747) 43.85 (214) 45.80 (218) ≥2 Domains, % (n)d Musculoskeletal/integumental + vascular 24.0 (900) 0.10 (2) 2.11 (48) 18.28 (348) 40.57 (198) 63.87 (304) Musculoskeletal/integumental + psychiatric 23.8 (893) 2.33 (49) 9.00 (205) 17.80 (339) 22.75 (111) 39.71 (189) Musculoskeletal/integumental + endocrine 22.1 (830) 0.48 (10) 4.57 (104) 21.06 (401) 28.89 (141) 36.55 (174) Musculoskeletal/integumental + respiratory 21.6 (812) 4.38 (92) 7.95 (181) 18.49 (352) 20.29 (99) 18.49 (88) Musculoskeletal/integumental + eye, ear, nose, and throat 20.4 (766) 3.28 (69) 3.07 (70) 11.55 (220) 26.64 (130) 58.19 (277) ≥3 Domains, % (n)e Musculoskeletal/integumental + vascular + endocrine 18.6 (464) 0.05 (1) 0.70 (16) 9.82 (187) 22.54 (110) 31.51 (150) Musculoskeletal/integumental + vascular + eye, ear, nose and throat 16.9 (423) 0.00 0.26 (6) 4.62 (88) 20.29 (99) 48.32 (230) Musculoskeletal/integumental + psychiatric + vascular 15.8 (394) 0.00 1.10 (25) 6.83 (130) 16.80 (82) 32.98 (157) Musculoskeletal/integumental + psychiatric + endocrine 14.8 (371) 0.14 (3) 2.15 (49) 9.77 (186) 11.07 (54) 16.60 (79) Musculoskeletal/integumental + psychiatric + respiratory 14.0 (350) 0.76 (16) 3.56 (81) 8.46 (161) 9.43 (46) 9.66 (46)
The Article in Brief
Multimorbidity in Patients Attending 2 Australian Primary Care Practices
Tom Brett , and colleagues
Background Multimorbidity, the co-existence of multiple chronic conditions in one person, is a major health priority. This study examined the pattern and prevalence of multimorbidity among patients at two large Australian primary care practices.
What This Study Found The coexistence of multiple chronic conditions is very common in both men and women and its prevalence and severity increase steadily with age. In this study, 52 percent of all patients had two or more chronic illnesses, 35 percent had three or more, and 15 percent five or more. Musculoskeletal illness was the most common type of morbidity, followed by psychiatric, respiratory and vascular. The prevalence of multimorbidity increased with age. Overall, 58 percent of patients had mild, 49 percent had moderate, and 14 percent had severe severity index scores. Severity index scores also increased with age with moderate scores showing the greatest increase.
Implications
- Multimorbidity is significant in men and women and increases steadily with age.
Supplemental Table
Supplemental Table. List of Conditions Categorized According to Body System Domains
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