Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability overlap and increase healthcare use among older Chinese
Open Access
- 25 June 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Geriatrics
- Vol. 18 (1), 147
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0840-1
Abstract
Background: Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability are prevalent among ageing population. However, no study empirically examined their additive or synergistic effect on healthcare use. The present study aims to estimate overlapping prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability; and to examine associations of these three conditions with healthcare use. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above in 12 Hong Kong districts. Pearson's chi-squared test for trend was performed to examine prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability across three age groups (60-69, 70-79, and >= 80). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to explore associations of these three conditions with three types of healthcare use (hospital admission, general outpatient clinic and specialist outpatient clinic attendance) respectively. Results: Among 2618 participants, 75.3, 41.8, and 22.5% had geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability respectively, and 10.4% had all the three conditions. Prevalence of the three conditions and their coexistence significantly increased with age (p for trend < .001). Each condition was independently associated with at least two out of three types of healthcare use. Interestingly, the associations of multimorbidity and disability with specialist outpatient clinic attendance were weakened at older age, while the associations of geriatric syndromes with hospital admission and specialist outpatient clinic attendance were strengthened. Furthermore, the odds of all the three types of healthcare use increased with the number of conditions present (p for trend < .001). Conclusions: Our findings support that the three conditions overlap and increase healthcare use. Early identification, prevention and intervention targeting older adults living with multiple healthcare needs are necessary.This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prevalence of Frailty in Community‐Dwelling Older Persons: A Systematic ReviewJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2012
- The Association Between Geriatric Syndromes and SurvivalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2012
- Frailty and multiple comorbidities in the elderly patient with heart failure: implications for managementHeart Failure Reviews, 2011
- The Frailty Syndrome: Definition and Natural HistoryClinics in Geriatric Medicine, 2011
- Change in Disability After Hospitalization or Restricted Activity in Older PersonsJAMA, 2010
- Understanding sarcopenia as a geriatric syndromeCurrent Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 2010
- Urinary Incontinence: A Neglected Geriatric Syndrome in Nursing FacilitiesJournal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2008
- Geriatric Syndromes: Clinical, Research, and Policy Implications of a Core Geriatric ConceptJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2007
- Subjective memory complaints in Chinese subjects with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's diseaseInternational Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2005
- Newly Reported Chronic Conditions and Onset of Functional DependencyJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2005