Multimorbidity Patterns and Their Impact on Health in Malaysia
Author Information
Author(s): Tan Michelle M. C., Hanlon Charlotte, Muniz-Terrera Graciela, Benaglia Tatiana, Ismail Roshidi, Mohan Devi, Konkoth Ann Breeze Joseph, Reidpath Daniel, Pinho Pedro José M. Rebello, Allotey Pascale, Kassim Zaid, Prina Matthew, Su Tin Tin
Primary Institution: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
Hypothesis
What are the specific multimorbidity latent classes among community-dwelling adults in Malaysia and how do they relate to mortality and health-related quality of life?
Conclusion
The study identifies four distinct multimorbidity classes, with the complex multimorbidity group facing the highest mortality risk and lowest quality of life.
Supporting Evidence
- The complex multimorbidity group had the lowest health-related quality of life across all domains.
- Older age was consistently associated with higher odds of being in the complex multimorbidity group.
- Significant variations in socio-demographic characteristics were found across multimorbidity patterns.
- The study used a large sample size from a health and demographic surveillance system.
- Mortality risk was significantly higher in the complex multimorbidity group compared to the relatively healthy group.
Takeaway
This study looked at different groups of people with multiple health problems in Malaysia and found that some groups are much sicker and at greater risk of dying than others.
Methodology
Latent class analysis was performed on 13 chronic health conditions using data from a health and demographic surveillance system.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of individuals in latent classes due to reliance on predictive probabilities.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported chronic conditions and did not assess changes in multimorbidity patterns over time.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 18 to 97 years, predominantly Malay ethnicity, with a mean age of 47.3 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.44–2.33
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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