Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases and Multimorbidity in a Primary Care Context of Central Argentina: A Web-Based Interactive and Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Global health agencies estimate an increase of chronic diseases in South America. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated chronic diseases and their risk factors in the perspective of multimorbidity. This research aimed to identify these aspects in a primary health care setting of central Argentina. The Pan America version of the STEP wise approach surveillance (STEPS) instrument of the World Health Organization was applied to 1044 participants, 365 men and 679 women, with a mean age of 43 years. High prevalence of overweight (33.5%), obesity (35.2%), central obesity (54%), dyslipidemia (43.5%), metabolic syndrome (21.1%), low intake of fruit and vegetables (91.8%), low levels of physical activity (71.5%), risky alcohol consumption (28%), and smoking (22.5%) were detected. Hypertension and diabetes were the most prevalent chronic conditions and the total prevalence of multimorbidity was 33.1%, with 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 chronic conditions found in 19.9%, 9.1%, 2.6%, 1.1% and 0.4% of the population, respectively. Multimorbidity affected 6.4% of the young, 31.7% of the adults, and 60.6% of the elderly, and was more prevalent among women, and in participants with lower levels of education. Having multimorbidity was significantly associated with obesity, central obesity, and higher concentrations of total blood cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. A website was made available to the participants in order to share the experimental results and health-promoting information.

Patterns of Multimorbidity in Adults: An Association Rules Analysis Using the Korea Health Panel

“…HTN was the most prevalent disease among men and women, regardless of age [8,31,36,37]. The prevalence of HTN and dyslipidemias were the highest in men and women under 65.…”

“…The results of the association rule analysis provide probabilities of pair-wise combinations of morbidities that occur more frequently than expected by random chance [26]. These results may help healthcare providers in recognizing the risk of subsequent diseases while assessing patients without multimorbidity, and in determining intervention and prevention strategies to prevent occurrence of multimorbidity [37]. For example, the results revealed that the pair of diseases with the highest lift, among both men and women, was DM dyslipidemias.…”

“…An information technology system that can track and share patient health records between various individual health systems may be effective in managing multimorbidity [36]. A primary, care-centered service model for treatment of chronic diseases that creates a link between clinics and community health centers, by expanding services to integrate education and treatment, and maintaining patient records, may also be effective [37].…”

Use of an Electronic Clinical Decision Support System in Primary Care to Assess Inappropriate Polypharmacy in Young Seniors With Multimorbidity: Observational, Descriptive, Cross-Sectional Study

“…Some studies have reported a sex disparity in the prevalence of multimorbidity, with reports from both HICs and LMICs indicating that multimorbidity is more common in women (see Annex 6). 296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,304,305 However, other studies have not observed such differences (also see Annex 6). 306,307,308,309,310 A systematic review of observational studies performed across Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia reported that multimorbidity prevalence was significantly higher in women in nine studies, but not in another five.…”

“…Olivares DE, et al (2017). 633 Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a health promotion activity programme developed in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area of central Argentina.…”