Year of Publication
2023
College
Public Health
Date Available
4-21-2023
Degree Name
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Committee Member
Dr. Erin Abner
Advisor
Dr. Anna Kucharska-Newton
Co-Director of Graduate Studies
Dr. Steven Browning
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of multimorbidity among middle-aged adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at baseline by examining the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the participants.
Methods
I included 15,698 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) baseline visit. Participants were randomly selected from 4 different locations in the United States. Multimorbidity was defined as the prevalence of 2 or more chronic conditions in an individual. Three different multimorbidity definitions (MM1, MM2, and MM3) were created with different inclusion criterion. Prevalence of each multimorbidity definition was analyzed among participants using covariates of age, sex, race, education level, area deprivation index, and by race and sex.
Results: Black female participants had the overall highest prevalence of multimorbidity compared to any other demographic. Those with a low education level and high level of neighborhood deprivation also had higher prevalence among each definition. The most inclusive definition of multimorbidity had the highest prevalence among each demographic group.
Conclusion: The addition of obesity and hyperlipidemia increases the prevalence of multimorbidity among every demographic. Black participants had the highest prevalence of multimorbidity among each definition.
Recommended Citation
Highfill, Katie, "Prevalence of Multimorbidity in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at Baseline" (2023). Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.). 366.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cph_etds/366
