Author:

• Laércio Almeida de Melo - Melo, LA - <laercio_melo91@hotmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9276-0116

Co-author(s):

• Kenio Costa de Lima - Lima, K. C. - <limke@uol.com.br>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5668-4398

Abstract:

The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of multimorbidity in the elderly in Brazil and its factors associated with socioeconomic and lifestyle variables. This is a cross-sectional, population-based study. The database was used for the National Health Survey. The elderly were considered multimorbital when they had a diagnosis of two or more chronic diseases. In the analysis of the data, the chi-square test was used and then the prevalence ratios were estimated by means of Poisson multiple regression, both with 95% confidence level. A total of 11,697 elderly people were evaluated and the prevalence of multimorbity was 53.1%. As a result of the multivariate analysis, the elderly (p0.001), the older (p=0.002), those who are not single, more strongly associated with widowers (p =0.001) and those with health insurance in the (p0.001) are associated with multimorbidity. Moreover, in comparison with the elderly with two chronic diseases, women are associated with three (p=0.003) and four or more chronic diseases (p0.001). It is concluded that multimorbidity in Brazilian elderly is a very common condition and that it has been influenced by socioeconomic factors and little related to lifestyle.

Keywords:

elderly; multimorbity; associated factors.

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