Prevalence of Multimorbidity and Associated Sociodemographic Factors among Elderly Population in a Rural Area in South Kerala

Abstract

Background: Multimorbidity is defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic health conditions in the same individual. It is associated with an increased number of hospital visits, polypharmacy, adverse drug events, increased treatment costs, increased burden on the families, poor functional status, poor quality of life, and an increased risk of death. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of multimorbidity and associated sociodemographic factors among elderly population in a rural area in south Kerala. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly population residing in the field practice area of a rural health training center of a medical college in South Kerala for a duration of 3 months from October 2019 to December 2019. Data were collected by interview of the subjects by the investigator. Charlson comorbidity index was used to assess the morbidity status of the subjects. Results: The self-reported prevalence of multimorbidity among the study participants was 86.4% (95% confidence interval: 82.5–90.3). In this, 42.8% had mild, 22.4% had severe, and 21.4% had moderate multimorbidity. Hypertension was the most common (53.1%) morbidity among the participants, followed by rheumatic diseases (42.7%) and diabetes mellitus (41%). Multimorbidity among the study participants was found to be significantly associated with their age, occupation status, and smoking habit among them. Conclusion: Multimorbidity among elderly population deserves much more attention than it has at present, and hence, there is an urgent need to focus on it with emphasis on the need to strengthen the health-care facilities for them, with respect to early identification and holistic management of their morbidities under one roof.