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Prevention and Management of Multimorbidity in Older People

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases, Chronic Diseases, and Disease Prevention".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 4490

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tu N. Nguyen

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Guest Editor

The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Interests: ageing; cardiovascular diseases; epidemiology; public health; chronic disease; multimorbidity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Multimorbidity, usually defined as the presence of two or more chronic health conditions, has emerged as a prominent concern in healthcare and research and is among the most pressing health challenges facing aging populations worldwide. The prevalence of multimorbidity is expected to rise in the near future, with current global rates reaching approximately 37% and exceeding 60% in older people. Older people face specific challenges due to the widespread occurrence and complexity of multimorbidity, including prevalent chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis. As the proportion of people living with multimorbidity continues to increase around the world, there is a critical need to understand the patterns and impacts of multimorbidity on health outcomes. Numerous studies have demonstrated that multimorbidity leads to a decreased quality of life, increased likelihood of disability, heightened demand for healthcare services, hospitalizations, and higher mortality rates. There is also evidence linking multimorbidity to an elevated risk of mental health disorders. Multimorbidity poses a significant hurdle to healthy aging and the preservation of independence in older people. The impact of multimorbidity extends beyond the individuals themselves, affecting their caregivers, healthcare providers, and healthcare systems. Managing multimorbidity becomes a complex task for both the individuals and healthcare providers, requiring a holistic approach that focuses on coordination, comprehensive care, and prioritization of treatment goals to optimize their overall health and well-being.

This Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the prevention and management of multimorbidity in older people. We encourage studies focusing on health promotion, wellbeing, and improvement of the quality of life for older people with multimorbidity, as well as social, environmental, and behavioral determinants of multimorbidity.

Dr. Tu N. Nguyen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

multimorbidity
chronic health conditions
disability
frailty
quality of life
mortality
hospitalizations
social vulnerability
behavioral determinants
healthy ageing

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fear of Falling: Exploring Associated Factors among Elderly Residents in the Rural Communities of Vietnam

by Luc Viet Tran, Thanh Xuan Nguyen, Thu Thi Hoai Nguyen, Huong Thi Thu Nguyen, Tam Ngoc Nguyen, Thao Thi Phuong Nguyen, Huong Thi Thanh Nguyen, Thang Pham, Anh Trung Nguyen and Huyen Thi Thanh Vu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(6), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060691 - 28 May 2024

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Abstract

This research aimed to explore factors associated with the fear of falling (FOF) among community-dwelling older adults in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted in five communes in Soc Son, Hanoi, Vietnam, from March to June 2017. We recruited a total of 487 participants, which provided sufficient data for analysis. The outcome variable was fear of falling. Several covariates, including demographics, medical history, general health status, geriatric syndromes, eye diseases, assessment of fall risk environment, timed up-and-go test, and number of standing up in 30 s, were collected. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to determine predictors associated with FOF. The results showed that 54.6% of the participants had FOF. Furthermore, the logistic multivariable regression model revealed several factors associated with FOF among participants in the research sites, including polypharmacy status (OR: 1.79; 95%CI 1.07–2.99), higher scores in quality of life according to the EQ-5D-5L index (OR:6.27; 95%CI: 2.77–14.17), and having fallen during the past 12 months (OR:4.4; 95%CI: 2.39–8.11). These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between FOF and several associated factors, notably polypharmacy status, quality of life, and having a fall during the past 12 months. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Management of Multimorbidity in Older People)

11 pages, 461 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Thanh Xuan Nguyen, Anh Huynh Phuong Nguyen, Huong Thi Thu Nguyen, Thu Thi Hoai Nguyen, Hoa Lan Nguyen, Robert Joel Goldberg, Janani Thillainadesan, Vasi Naganathan, Huyen Thi Thanh Vu, Luc Viet Tran and Anh Trung Nguyen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(2), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020135 - 25 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Better understanding of the quality of life among nursing home residents with dementia is important for developing interventions. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to examine factors associated with poor health-related quality of life in older people with dementia living in nursing homes in Hanoi, Vietnam. In-person interviews were conducted with 140 adults who were 60 years and older with dementia, and information about their quality of life was obtained using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD) scale. The sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (lowest quartile) were assessed through the results of physical tests, interviews with nursing home staff, and review of medical records. The average age of the study sample was 78.3 years, 65% were women, and their average QOL-AD total score was 27.3 (SD = 4.4). Malnutrition, total dependence in activities of daily living, and urinary incontinence were associated with poor quality of life after controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Our findings show that Vietnamese nursing home residents with dementia have a moderate total quality of life score, and interventions based on comprehensive geriatric assessment remain needed to modify risk factors related to poor health-related quality of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Management of Multimorbidity in Older People)

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Review

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11 pages, 342 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploring Frailty in the Intersection of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer in Older People

by Erkihun Amsalu, Ying Zhang, Christopher Harrison, Tan Van Nguyen and Tu Ngoc Nguyen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(23), 7105; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20237105 - 23 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1833

Abstract

Advances in cardiovascular therapies and cancer treatments have resulted in longer patient survival. The coexistence of cancer and cardiovascular disease has been recognized as a complex clinical scenario. In addition to cardiovascular disease, older people with cancer are at greater risk of experiencing multimorbidity and geriatric syndromes, such as frailty. In older people, the concurrent presence of cancer and cardiovascular disease increases the risk of mortality, and the presence of frailty can exacerbate their conditions and hinder treatment effectiveness. Given the significant intersection among frailty, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in older people, this paper aims to provide an overview of the current research in this field and identifies gaps in the research to understand the burden and impact of frailty in these populations. While many studies have examined the prevalence and impact of frailty on adverse outcomes in patients with cancer or cardiovascular disease, evidence of frailty in individuals with both conditions is lacking. There is no universally accepted definition of frailty, which leads to inconsistencies in identifying and measuring frailty in older adults with cardiovascular disease and cancer. The frailty index seems to be a preferred frailty definition in studies of patients with cancer, while the frailty phenotype seems to be more commonly used in cardiovascular research. However, differences in how the frailty index was categorized and in how patients were classified as ‘frail’ depending on the cut points may have a negative effect on understanding the impact of frailty in the studied populations. This makes it challenging to compare findings across different studies and limits our understanding of the prevalence and impact of frailty in these populations. Addressing these research gaps will contribute to our understanding of the burden of frailty in older people with cardiovascular disease and cancer, and improve clinical care protocols in this vulnerable population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Management of Multimorbidity in Older People)

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