Nunes BP, Camargo-Figuera FA, Guttier M, de Oliveira PD, Munhoz TN, Matijasevich A, Bertoldi AD, Wehrmeister FC, Silveira MP, Thumé E, Facchini LA. Int. J. Public Health 2016; 61(9): 1013-1020.
Affiliation
Department of Nursing, Postgraduate Program in Nursing, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate occurrences and patterns of multimorbidity in adults from a southern Brazilian city.
METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 2012 through face-to-face interviews with adults (20 or more years) living in Pelotas, southern Brazil. Multimorbidity was evaluated by a list of 11 morbidities (based on medical diagnosis; Patient Health Questionnaire 9 for depression; and Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical index) and operationalized according to two cutoff points: ≥2 and ≥3 morbidities. Descriptive analysis and factor analysis (FA) were performed.
RESULTS: The sample was made up of 2927 adults. Multimorbidity reached 29.1 % (95 % CI: 27.1; 31.1) for ≥2, and 14.3 % (95 % CI: 12.8; 15.8) for ≥3 morbidities and was greater in females, older people, those with less schooling and those from lower economic classes. Four pairs (frequency ≥5 %) and four triplets (frequency ≥2 %) were observed. Two patterns of morbidities (cardiometabolic and joint problems; and respiratory diseases) explained 93 % of total variance.
CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity was common in the studied population. The observed patterns may be used to generate and improve Brazilian diseases guidelines.