Do you suffer from Multimorbidity?

By MiNDFOOD

Do you suffer from Multimorbidity?

Multimorbidity is the presence of two or more long-term or chronic conditions that collectively influence your health, often requiring complex care and management. It is becoming an increasing phenomenon in New Zealand.

New research from the University of Otago suggests that multiple chronic conditions are having negative impacts on employment and financial wellbeing. Multimorbidity has a substantial impact on sufferers who report not only poorer health but also adverse impacts on their employment and financial wellbeing compared to the general population, the new research reveals.

Impact on mental wellbeing

The research published in the latest issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal says that of those served in New Zealand, many described their general health as “fair” or “poor” with aggregate scores for their physical and mental health also much lower than the general population. Nearly half (48 per cent) reported accomplishing less than they would have liked as a result of their emotional problems (for example, feeling depressed or anxious).

As a result, many make changes to their working conditions because of their health, including decreasing working hours, taking lighter duties or changing jobs, while some stopped working altogether. Nearly one in five participants reported financial difficulty taking care of all their healthcare needs, including prescriptions, while 24 per cent reported difficulties covering other basic living costs in addition to healthcare costs.

Lead researcher Jeannine Stairmand from the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, says the finding that patients with multimorbidity report poorer health than a similar cohort of the general New Zealand population is unsurprising.

“More than half of our study cohort were living with three or more long-term conditions and health-related quality of life scores have been found to decrease as the number of concurrent conditions increases,” Stairmand explains.

However, what was surprising was the finding about financial difficulties, she says.

“Our observation that nearly 20 per cent of participants experienced financial difficulties taking care of their healthcare needs (including prescriptions in addition to basic living costs) was unexpected given the small proportion (12 per cent) of respondents living in most deprived areas.”

What needs to be done

Stairmand says that the results support a partnership approach to improving the lives of people with multimorbidity, including supporting patients to self-manage their conditions; society level support involving support people and employers; and healthcare providers taking person-centred approaches using holistic care models.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Print Recipe

BECOME A MiNDFOOD SUBSCRIBER TODAY

Let us keep you up to date with our weekly MiNDFOOD e-newsletters which include the weekly menu plan, health and news updates or tempt your taste buds with the MiNDFOOD Daily Recipe. 

Member Login