ObjectivesThe study aims to evaluate the magnitude of multimorbidity in Brazilian adults, as well to measure their association with individual and contextual factors stratified by Brazilian states and regions.MethodsA national-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 2013 with Brazilian adults. Multimorbidity was evaluated by a list of 22 physical and mental morbidities (based on self-reported medical diagnosis and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression). The outcome was analysed taking ≥2 and ≥3 diseases as cut-off points. Factor analysis (FA) was used to identify disease patterns and multilevel models were used to test association with individual and contextual variables.ResultsThe sample comprised 60 202 individuals. Multimorbidity frequency was 22.2% (95% CI 21.5 to 22.9) for ≥2 morbidities and 10.2% (95% CI 9.7 to 10.7) for ≥3 morbidities. In the multilevel adjusted models, females, older people, those living with a partner and having less schooling presented more multiple diseases. No linear association was found according to wealth index but greater outcome frequency was found in individuals with midrange wealth index. Living in states with higher levels of education and wealthier states was associated with greater multimorbidity. Two patterns of morbidities (cardiometabolic problems and respiratory/mental/muscle–skeletal disorders) explained 92% of total variance. The relationship of disease patterns with individual and contextual variables was similar to the overall multimorbidity, with differences among Brazilian regions.ConclusionsIn Brazil, at least 19 million adults had multimorbidity. Frequency is similar to that found in other Low and and Middle Income Countries. Contextual and individual social inequalities were observed.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the occurrence and factors associated with multimorbidity among Brazilians aged 50 years and over.METHODS This is a cross-sectional study in a nation-based cohort of the non-institutionalized population in Brazil. Data were collected between 2015 and 2016. Multimorbidity was assessed from a list of 19 morbidities, which were categorized into ≥ 2 and ≥ 3 diseases. The analysis included the calculation of frequencies and the most frequent 10 pairs and triplets of combinations of diseases. The crude and adjusted analyses evaluated the demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and contextual variables (area of residence, geopolitical region, and coverage of the Family Health Strategy) using Poisson regression.RESULTS From the total of 9,412 individuals, 67.8% (95%CI 65.6–69.9) and 47.1% (95%CI 44.8–49.4) showed ≥ 2 and ≥ 3 diseases, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, women, older persons, and those who did not consume alcohol had increased multimorbidity. There were no associations with race, area of residence, geopolitical region, and coverage of the Family Health Strategy. The 10 pairs (frequencies observed between 11.6% and 23.2%) and the 10 triplets (frequencies observed between 4.9% and 9.5%) of the most frequent diseases mostly included back problems (15 times) and systemic arterial hypertension (11 times). All combinations were statistically higher than expected by chance.CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of multimorbidity was high even among younger individuals (50 to 59 years). Approximately two in three (≥ 2 diseases) and one in two (≥ 3 diseases) individuals aged 50 years and over presented multimorbidity, which represents 26 and 18 million persons in Brazil, respectively. We observed high frequencies of combinations of morbidities.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE:-Educação Médica Comunidade, 2011 abr./jun;6(19):145-50.

OBJECTIVE:To analyze rates of hospitalization due to primary care-sensitive cardiovascular conditions. METHODS:This ecological study on 237 municipalities in the state of Goiás, Central-West Brazil, between 2000 and, used data from the Hospital Information System and the Primary Care Information System. The hospitalization rates were calculated as the ratio between the number of hospitalizations due to cardiovascular conditions and the population over the age of 40 years. The data were evaluated over the three-year periods A (2000)(2001)(2002), B (2003-2005) and C (2006-2008), according to sex, age group, population size, whether the individual belonged to the metropolitan region, healthcare macroregion, distance from the state capital, living conditions index and coverage within the Family Health Strategy. The potential population coverage of the Family Health Strategy was calculated in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines. The variability of the rates was evaluated using the t test and ANOVA. RESULTS:A total of 253,254 hospitalizations (17.2%) occurred due to primary care-sensitive cardiovascular conditions. The hospitalization rates diminished between the three-year periods: A (213.5, SD = 104.6), B (199.7, SD = 96.3) and C (150.2, SD = 76.1), with differences from A to C and from B to C (p < 0.001). Municipal population size did not infl uence the behavior of the rates. Municipalities near the state capital and those in the metropolitan area presented higher rates (p < 0.001). At all percentiles of the Life and Health Conditions Index, there were decreases in the rates (p < 0.001), except at percentile 1. Decreases were also observed in all the macroregions except for the northeastern region of the state. The reduction in rates was independent of the Family Health Strategy coverage. CONCLUSION:The rates of hospitalization due to primary care-sensitive cardiovascular conditions decreased in these municipalities, independent of the Family Health Strategy coverage.

There was a high prevalence of CKD's early stages on FHS, taking in consideration the risk factors of age ≥ 60 years old, masculine gender, DM and alcohol consume. Therefore, a CKD screening and monitoring is suggested in adults who are served by the FHS.