BackgroundThe coexistence of several chronic diseases in one same individual, known as multimorbidity, is an important challenge facing health care systems in developed countries. Recent studies have revealed the existence of multimorbidity patterns clustering systematically associated distinct clinical entities. We sought to describe age and gender differences in the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity in men and women over 65 years.MethodsObservational retrospective multicentre study based on diagnostic information gathered from electronic medical records of 19 primary care centres in Aragon and Catalonia. Multimorbidity patterns were identified through exploratory factor analysis. We performed a descriptive analysis of previously obtained patterns (i.e. cardiometabolic (CM), mechanical (MEC) and psychogeriatric (PG)) and the diseases included in the patterns stratifying by sex and age group.Results67.5% of the aged population suffered two or more chronic diseases. 32.2% of men and 45.3% of women were assigned to at least one specific pattern of multimorbidity, and 4.6% of men and 8% of women presented more than one pattern simultaneously. Among women over 65 years the most frequent pattern was the MEC pattern (33.3%), whereas among men it was the CM pattern (21.2%). While the prevalence of the CM and MEC patterns decreased with age, the PG pattern showed a higher prevalence in the older age groups.ConclusionsSignificant gender differences were observed in the prevalence of multimorbidity patterns, women showing a higher prevalence of the MEC and PG patterns, as well as a higher degree of pattern overlapping, probably due to a higher life expectancy and/or worse health. Future studies on multimorbidity patterns should take into account these differences and, therefore, the study of multimorbidity and its impact should be stratified by age and sex.
Objetivo Explorar las percepciones de los profesionales sanitarios sobre las características de la atención sanitaria a pacientes con multimorbilidad. Diseño Estudio cualitativo de trayectoria fenomenológica realizado entre enero y septiembre de 2015 mediante 3 entrevistas grupales (grupos de discusión) y 15 individuales. Emplazamiento Servicio Aragonés de Salud. Participantes Profesionales médicos y de enfermería del Servicio Aragonés de Salud pertenecientes a distintos servicios: Medicina Interna, Atención Primaria, Urgencias y Gestión. También se incluyó un farmacéutico. Métodos Se realizó un muestreo intencional no probabilístico que permitiese configurar las unidades muestrales buscando criterios de representatividad del discurso, permitiendo conocer e interpretar el fenómeno estudiado en profundidad, en sus diferentes visiones. Se entrevistó a profesionales sanitarios con perfiles diferentes que conociesen en profundidad la atención a pacientes con multimorbilidad. Las entrevistas fueron grabadas, transcritas literalmente e interpretadas, mediante el análisis social del discurso. Resultados Se identifica una cultura profesional orientada a la atención de enfermedades individuales, falta de coordinación entre especialidades, pacientes sometidos a numerosas prescripciones, Guías de Práctica Clínica y formación especialmente centradas en enfermedades individuales. Conclusiones Tanto la cultura profesional como la organización del sistema sanitario se encuentran orientadas a la atención de enfermedades individuales, lo que redunda en dificultades para ofrecer una atención más integral a los pacientes con multimorbilidad.
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