Co-occurrence of Chronic Diseases in the Dutch Population
Author Information
Author(s): Pieter H van Baal, Peter M Engelfriet, Hendriek C Boshuizen, Jan van de Kassteele, Francois G Schellevis, Rudolf T Hoogenveen
Primary Institution: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)
Hypothesis
To estimate the age-specific prevalence of multimorbidity in the general population and investigate how specific pairs of diseases cluster within individuals.
Conclusion
Common chronic diseases co-occur in one individual more frequently than is due to chance.
Supporting Evidence
- Prevalence of chronic diseases has increased significantly in Western countries.
- The presence of multiple chronic diseases within one person is common, especially at older ages.
- Diabetes is a risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke, leading to higher co-occurrence rates.
Takeaway
As people get older, they often have more than one chronic disease, and these diseases tend to occur together more often than you would expect by random chance.
Methodology
Data from a Dutch health survey covering 2001 to 2007 was used to estimate the prevalence of pairs of chronic diseases, employing multinomial regression and P-spline smoothing.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may not accurately reflect disease status, and nonresponse could be related to disease status, potentially skewing results.
Limitations
The study did not include the institutionalized population, which may lead to underestimation of disease prevalence, and the response rate was around 60%, which could introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
The study included a general population sample from the Netherlands, with a net participation of around 10,000 individuals per year.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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