Multimorbidity in older adults and its associated factors in 2010 and 2021

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the factors associated with multimorbidity in older adults aged 60 to 69 years, in 2010 and 2021. This is a comparative cross-sectional study, comprised of other two cross-sectional studies. Both data collections were individually conducted by trained interviewers through household surveys in the municipality of Coxilha-RS, Brazil. Bivariate inferential analysis was conducted using Fisher's exact test and chi-square test, while multivariate analysis employed Poisson regression with robust variance with a significance level of p 0.05. It was observed that the prevalence of multimorbidity significantly decreased, decreasing from 66.5% in 2010 to 41.6% in 2021. Dependency for basic and instrumental activities of daily living was associated with higher prevalence of multimorbidity in the year 2010. However, in 2021, being dependent on instrumental activities, being unable to read/write, and being unemployed showed higher prevalence for multimorbidity. In conclusion, it is evident that the health conditions of older adults differed significantly over the years, highlighting the necessity for a reevaluation of healthcare practices to become more effective