Multimorbidity in older women: The negative impact of specific combinations of chronic conditions on self-rated health

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of the population, females aged 70–74 (n = 315).

Characteristics	n	%
Age in years
70	73	23
71	65	21
72	53	17
73	71	23
74	53	17
Self-rated health
Excellent	18	6
Very good	44	14
Good	165	52
Fair	77	24
Poor	11	4

Table 2. Chronic conditions of the population (n = 315).

Condition	n (%)	n with low SRH (%)
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	106 (34)	42 (40)
Anxiety > 2 weeks	103 (33)	37 (36)
Hypertension	80 (25)	30 (38)
Depression > 2 weeks	64 (20)	24 (38)
Urinary incontinence	60 (19)	26 (43)
Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	56 (18)	29 (52)
Severe back pain	54 (17)	28 (52)
Severe condition of elbow/wrist/hand	45 (14)	21 (47)
Diabetes mellitus	37 (12)	17 (46)
Asthma/COPD	37 (12)	22 (60)
Migraine or severe headache	36 (11)	21 (58)
Cancer	33 (10)	14 (42)
Rheumatoid arthritis	27 (9)	9 (33)
Dizziness with falling	24 (8)	14 (58)
Cerebrovascular incident	23 (7)	13 (57)
Severe bowel disorder for > 3 months	18 (6)	8 (44)
Chronic eczema	17 (5)	5 (29)
Other serious heart condition	13 (4	6 (46)
Myocardial infarction	13 (4)	5 (39)
Stenosis in aorta or aa. femorales	13 (4)	6 (46)
Psoriasis	6 (2)	4 (67)

Figure 1. Number of chronic conditions in relation with SRH in women aged 70–74 (n = 315). P < 0.001.

Table 3. Top five chronic conditions and the most prevalent combinations and combinations present in more than 20 women.

Condition 1	Condition 2	n	SRH-Ratio	P	95% CI
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Hypertension	38	20/23.0 = 0.87	0.327	0.6393–1.1368
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Anxiety > 2 weeks	37	23/22.3 = 1.03	0.827	0.794–1.267
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Urinary incontinence	33	16/19.9 = 0.80	0.162	0.5522–1.0848
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Severe back pain	28	11/16.9 = 0.65	0.022	0.3470–0.9523
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Severe condition of elbow/wrist/hand	28	13/16.9 = 0.77	0.131	0.4621–1.0688
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Depression > 2 weeks	44	26/26.6 = 0.98	0.859	0.7746–1.1856
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Hypertension	28	13/16.9 = 0.77	0.131	0.4853–1.0563
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	27	12/16.3 = 0.74	0.090	0.4145–1.0102
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Urinary incontinence	26	11/15.7 = 0.70	0.059	0.4139–1.0176
Hypertension	Urinary incontinence	27	15/16.3 = 0.92	0.607	0.6266–1.2086
Hypertension	Depression > 2 weeks	18	9/10.9 = 0.83	0.367	0.4244–1.1949
Hypertension	Severe back pain	16	6/9.7 = 0.62	0.061	0.2745–1.0929
Depression > 2 weeks	Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	25	14/15.1 = 0.93	0.653	0.6256–1.2210
Depression > 2 weeks	Severe back pain	20	6/12.1 = 0.50	0.005	0.1978–0.8441
Depression > 2 weeks	Urinary incontinence	17	9/10.3 = 0.88	0.529	0.4826–1.2534
Urinary incontinence	Migraine/severe headache	14	3/8.5 = 0.35	0.003	0.1045–0.8368
Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	Severe condition of elbow/wrist/hand	28	13/16.9 = 0.77	0.131	0.4621–1.0688
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	27	12/16.3 = 0.74	0.090	0.4145–1.0102
Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	Osteoarthritis of hip or knee	26	13/15.7 = 0.83	0.278	0.5031–1.0937
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Severe back pain	25	12/15.1 = 0.79	0.205	0.4810–1.0942
Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	Severe back pain	22	9/13.3 = 0.68	0.062	0.3289–1.0203
Severe condition of the neck/shoulder	Severe condition of elbow/wrist/hand	21	9/12.7 = 0.71	0.100	0.3931–1.0786
Anxiety > 2 weeks	Migraine/severe headache	20	7/12.1 = 0.58	0.020	0.2235–0.9115