Understanding Chronic Conditions in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Zuo Dongmei, Cunningham Solveig
Primary Institution: Emory University
Hypothesis
What is the first chronic condition developed by older adults and how does it relate to multimorbidity?
Conclusion
Hypertension, arthritis, and heart diseases are the most common first chronic conditions among older adults, with various demographic factors influencing their onset.
Supporting Evidence
- Hypertension, arthritis, and heart diseases are the most frequent sentinel conditions.
- Each additional year of age decreases the odds of having hypertension and heart disease as the first onset disease.
- Being Hispanic increases the odds of hypertension as the first onset disease by 64%.
Takeaway
Older people often get chronic diseases like high blood pressure or arthritis first, and things like age and race can change who gets what.
Methodology
The study used 15 waves of longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study and employed weighted multinomial logistic regression models.
Participant Demographics
The study included older adults with a focus on sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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