1. The impact of multimorbidity on quality of life among midlife women: findings from a U.S. nationally representative survey.
- Author
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Lang K, Alexander IM, Simon J, Sussman M, Lin I, Menzin J, Friedman M, Dutwin D, Bushmakin AG, Thrift-Perry M, Altomare C, and Hsu MA
- Subjects
- Adult, Comorbidity, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Behavior, Humans, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, Health Status Indicators, Osteoporosis epidemiology, Quality of Life, Urinary Incontinence epidemiology, Vaginal Diseases epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Little is known about the prevalence and cumulative burden of coexisting health conditions including chronic joint and muscular pain, urinary incontinence (UI), depression, osteoporosis risk, moderate/severe vasomotor symptoms, and vulvar/vaginal atrophy (VVA). We surveyed a nationally representative U.S. sample of midlife (age 40-64 years) women to ascertain the prevalence, general health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and health-seeking behaviors associated with these six conditions., Methods: This cross-sectional, telephone survey collected data from a sample of English- and Spanish-speaking U.S. women. The survey contained demographic and menopausal status questions, and also five condition-specific symptom/disease risk-screening instruments. The EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire was used to measure HRQoL. Health-seeking behavior was measured based on clinician discussion of and recent treatment for each condition., Results: Three thousand fifty eight women (mean age 53.4 years) completed the survey. The majority were white (75.6%), married (60.5%), employed full- or part-time (59.0%), and postmenopausal (69.8%; based on self-report). The prevalence [95% confidence interval] of 0, 1, 2, and ≥3 conditions was 35.2% [33.5-36.9], 34.2% [32.5-35.9], 17.9% [16.6-19.3], and 12.7% [11.5-13.9], respectively. Osteoporosis risk (30.6%) was most prevalent, followed by VVA (27.8%) and UI (26.6%). UI and VVA coexisted most frequently (11.3%), followed by osteoporosis risk and VVA (9.8%). EQ-5D scores decreased with increasing number of illnesses (0, 1, 2, and ≥3 conditions, means: 0.92, 0.87, 0.77, 0.61, respectively; p<0.01). Health-seeking behavior varied by condition., Conclusion: Over 25% of women surveyed had multiple coexisting conditions. Lower HRQoL was associated with multiple conditions and with each added condition.
- Published
- 2015
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