Patterns of multimorbidity in elderly veterans.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine patterns of co-occurring diseases in older adults and the extent to which these patterns vary between the young-old and the old-old.

Design

Observational study.

Setting

Department of Veterans Affairs.

Participants

Veterans aged 65 years and older (1.9 million male, mean age 76 ± 7; 39,000 female, mean age 77 ± 8) with two or more visits to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Medicare settings in 2007 and 2008.

Measurements

The presence of 23 common conditions was assessed using hospital discharge diagnoses and outpatient encounter diagnoses from the VA and Medicare.

Results

The mean number of chronic conditions (out of 23 possible) was 5.5 ± 2.6 for men and 5.1 ± 2.6 for women. The prevalence of most conditions increased

SUBMITTER: Steinman MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4133992 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature