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. 2008 Jul;98(7):1198-200.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.121137. Epub 2008 May 29.

Prevalence of chronic diseases and multimorbidity among the elderly population in Sweden

Alessandra Marengoni  1 , Bengt Winblad, Anita Karp, Laura Fratiglioni
Affiliations

Prevalence of chronic diseases and multimorbidity among the elderly population in Sweden

Alessandra Marengoni et al. Am J Public Health. 2008 Jul.

Abstract

We explored the role of age, gender, and socioeconomic status in the occurrence of chronic diseases and multimorbidity in 1099 elderly participants in the Kungsholmen Project. Cardiovascular and mental diseases were the most common chronic disorders. Of the participants, 55% had multimorbidity. Advanced age, female gender, and lower education were independently associated with a more than 50% increased risk for multimorbidity. Multimorbidity is the most common clinical picture of the elderly and may be increased by unhealthy behaviors linked to education.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Prevalence per 100 people of chronic disorders grouped according to International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), classification, by age: Kungsholmen Project, Sweden, 1987–2000. Note. Distribution by age (77–84 and ≥ 85 years). …* P < .01.
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