 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Robert John, PhD1, Dave S. Kerby, PhD1, and Catherine H. Hennessy, MA, DrPH2. (1) Health Promotion Sciences, University of Oklahoma, PO Box 26901, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, (405) 271-2017, robert-john@ouhsc.edu, (2) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Bufford Hwy NE, Mail Stop K-45, Atlanta, GA 30341
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to suggest a new approach to identifying patterns of comorbidity and multimorbidity. Design and Methods: A random sample of 1,039 rural community-resident American Indian elders aged 60 years and over was surveyed. Comorbidity was investigated with four standard approaches, and with cluster analysis. Results: Most respondents (57%) reported three or more of 11 chronic conditions. Cluster analysis revealed a four-cluster comorbidity structure: cardiopulmonary, sensory-motor, depression, and arthritis. When the impact of comorbidity on seven health-related quality of life outcomes was tested, the use of the clusters offered more explanatory power than the other approaches. Implications: Our study improves understanding of comorbidity within an understudied and underserved population by characterizing comorbidity in conventional and novel ways. The cluster approach has four advantages over previous approaches. In particular, cluster analysis identities specific health problems that need to be addressed to alter American Indian elders' health-related quality of life.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Chronic Illness, Quality of Life
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.