Journal Article

Lifestyle and Socioeconomic Determinants of Multimorbidity Patterns among Mid-Aged Women: A Longitudinal Study

Jackson, Caroline A., Tooth, Leigh R., Dobson, Annette J., Mishra, Gita D.

2016

Overview

Little is known about patterns of associative multimorbidity and their aetiology. We aimed to identify patterns of associative multimorbidity among mid-aged women and the lifestyle and socioeconomic factors associated with their development. Participants were from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. We included 4896 women born 1946-51, without multimorbidity in 1998. We identified multimorbidity patterns at survey 6 (2010) using factor analysis, and related these patterns to baseline lifestyle and socioeconomic factors using logistic regression. We dichotomised factor scores and determined odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between characteristics and odds of a high versus low factor score. We identified five multimorbidity patterns: psychosomatic; musculoskeletal; cardiometabolic; cancer; and respiratory. Overweight and obesity were respectively associated with increased odds of having a high score for the musculoskeletal (adjusted ORs 1.45 [95% CI 1.23, 1.70] and 2.14 [95% CI 1.75, 2.60]) and cardiometabolic (adjusted ORs 1.53 [95% CI 1.31, 1.79] and 2.46 [95% CI 2.02, 2.98]) patterns. Physical inactivity was associated with increased odds of a high score for the psychosomatic, musculoskeletal and cancer patterns (adjusted ORs 1.41 [95% CI 1.13, 1.76]; 1.39 [95% CI 1.11, 1.74]; and 1.35 [95% CI 1.08, 1.69]). Smoking was associated with increased odds of a high score for the respiratory pattern. Education and ability to manage on income were associated with increased odds of a high score for the psychosomatic pattern (adjusted ORs 1.34 [95% CI 1.03, 1.75] and 1.73 [95% CI 1.37, 1.28], respectively) and musculoskeletal pattern (adjusted ORs 1.43 [95% CI 1.10, 1.87] and 1.38 [1.09, 1.75], respectively). Distinct multimorbidity patterns can be identified among mid-aged women. Social inequality, physical activity and BMI are risk factors common to multiple patterns and are appropriate targets for reducing the risk of specific multimorbidity groups in mid-life women.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Alcohol use / Analysis / Biology and Life Sciences / Body mass / Body Mass Index / Body weight / Cancer / Chronic illnesses / Comorbidity / Confidence intervals / Correlation analysis / Demographic aspects / Economic factors / Exercise / Factor analysis / Female / Health aspects / Humans / Life Style / Lifestyles / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / Morbidity / Multimorbidity / Obesity / Overweight / Physical activity / Physical Sciences / Regression analysis / Research and Analysis Methods / Respiration / Risk analysis / Risk Factors / Risk reduction / Smoking / Social class / Social factors / Socioeconomic Factors / Socioeconomics / Statistical analysis / Studies / Surveys / Systematic review / Women's health