Factors associated with multimorbidity in the elderly: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to identify factors associated with multimorbidity in the elderly through an integrative literature review. Method: The “Cochrane Library”, “MEDLINE”, “Web of Science”, “Scopus” and “LILACS” databases were used, as well as the “SciELO” virtual library and the electronic search engine “Google Academic”. The following search terms were applied: “multimorbidity”; “multi-morbidity”; “comorbidity; “multiple diseases”; “elderly”; “major adults”, “older people”, “older persons”, “aged”, “associated factors”, “correlated factors”, “socioeconomic factors” and “demographic factors.” The inclusion criterion was that the object of the study was the elderly population with multimorbidity. Studies in which multimorbidity was not the dependent variable were excluded. Results: a total of seven articles were included in this review. A prevalence of multimorbidity in the elderly ranging from 30.7% to 57% was found. The associated factors were smoking, alcohol consumption, lived in rural areas, low levels of schooling, the female gender, older elderly persons and not living with children. In the majority of articles a low level of family income was also associated with multimorbidity. Conclusion: The results suggest that multimorbidity in the elderly is a common condition and that it is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic factors, lifestyle and family structure.

Prevalence and Patterns of Multimorbidity Among Rural Elderly: Findings of the AHSETS Study

“…In a systematic review by Pati et al, the prevalence of multimorbidity in South Asia ranged from 24.1 to 83% (3). In another integrative review by de Melo et al, the prevalence of multimorbidity among older adults ranged from 30.7 to 57% (19). A wide variation in the prevalence of multimorbidity has been observed depending on the study area and population.…”

Meaning of aging for caregivers of senile elderly people

“…In their perception, elderly people who, in their youth or even as adults, did not have many opportunities for life or access to formal education, for example, may have more difficulty accessing knowledge and also understanding health information and, therefore, greater limitations in the adoption of self-care behaviors, triggering the occurrence of senile aging. This thinking, in addition to being part of common sense, is reinforced by studies according to which literacy positively influences self-care, and the higher the level of education, the greater the search for and access to health services (16)(17) .…”

“…Some participants pointed out that the rural context in which the elderly grew up proved to be an unfavorable factor for them to have a healthy aging today, because people started to work "hard" very early, and this work did not allow them to take care of themselves. Even today, despite all technological advances, studies show that the place of residence can limit access to health services and information (17)(18) . Furthermore, it is worth considering that living in this context nowadays may even have an impact on self-perceived health, as identified in a study with elderly people living in different locations, which pointed out that, among those in the rural area, the prevalence of regular perception or bad is higher than among residents in the urban area (18) .…”

Mortality Due to COVID-19 in the Elderly: Integrative Literature Review

“…Because of this, the elderly have a more frequent response to external factors [4]. In addition, we have other factors such as: the presence of multimorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, among others, such as changes in the respiratory system due to functional reserve, fewer patients and greater use of hospital care, making them more vulnerable to the development of a severe structure [5].…”