Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)
Abstract Background Evidence of multimorbidity has come mainly from high-income regions, while disparities among racial groups have been less explored. This study examined racial differences in multimorbidity in the multiracial cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Estudo Longitudinal de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13715-7 |
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| author | Fernanda Esthefane Garrides Oliveira Rosane Harter Griep Dora Chor Luana Giatti Luciana A. C. Machado Sandhi Maria Barreto Alexandre da Costa Pereira Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca Leonardo Soares Bastos |
| author_facet | Fernanda Esthefane Garrides Oliveira Rosane Harter Griep Dora Chor Luana Giatti Luciana A. C. Machado Sandhi Maria Barreto Alexandre da Costa Pereira Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca Leonardo Soares Bastos |
| author_sort | Fernanda Esthefane Garrides Oliveira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Evidence of multimorbidity has come mainly from high-income regions, while disparities among racial groups have been less explored. This study examined racial differences in multimorbidity in the multiracial cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto), ELSA-Brasil. Methods The study examined baseline (2008–2010) data for 14 099 ELSA-Brasil participants who self-reported being white, mixed-race, or black. A list of 16 morbidities was used to evaluate multimorbidity, operationalised by simple count into ≥ 2, ≥ 3, ≥ 4, ≥ 5 and ≥ 6 morbidities, in addition to evaluating the number of coexisting conditions. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated from logistic models and a quantile model was used to examine racial differences graphically in the distribution quantiles for the number of morbidities. Results Overall prevalence of multimorbidity (≥ 2 morbidities) was 70% and, after controlling for age and sex, was greater among mixed-race and black participants – by 6% (PR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03–1.08) and 9% (PR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06–1.12), respectively – than among white participants. As the cutoff value for defining multimorbidity was raised, so the strength of the association increased, especially among blacks: if set at ≥ 6 morbidities, the prevalence was 27% greater for those of mixed-race (PR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.07–1.50) and 47% greater for blacks (PR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.22–1.76) than for whites. The disparities were smaller in the lower morbidity distribution quantiles and larger in the upper quantiles, indicating a heavier burden of disease, particularly on blacks. Conclusions Multimorbidity was common among adults and older adults in a Brazilian cohort, but important racial inequalities were found. Raising the cutoff point for defining multimorbidity revealed stronger associations between race/skin colour and multimorbidity, indicating a higher prevalence of multimorbidity among mixed-race and black individuals than among whites and that the former groups coexisted more often with more complex health situations (with more coexisting morbidities). Interventions to prevent and manage the condition of multimorbidity that consider the social determinants of health and historically discriminated populations in low- and middle-income regions are necessary. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:45:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c8ec1f4bcea64a7ebcc7d2e34d79ee7c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:45:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-c8ec1f4bcea64a7ebcc7d2e34d79ee7c2022-12-22T03:39:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-07-0122111510.1186/s12889-022-13715-7Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)Fernanda Esthefane Garrides Oliveira0Rosane Harter Griep1Dora Chor2Luana Giatti3Luciana A. C. Machado4Sandhi Maria Barreto5Alexandre da Costa Pereira6Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca7Leonardo Soares Bastos8Sérgio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Health and Environment Education, Oswaldo Cruz InstituteSérgio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationDepartment of Preventive and Social Medicine, Federal University of Minas GeraisClinical Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Minas GeraisDepartment of Preventive and Social Medicine, Federal University of Minas GeraisHeart Institute, University of São PauloSérgio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationScientific Computing Program, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationAbstract Background Evidence of multimorbidity has come mainly from high-income regions, while disparities among racial groups have been less explored. This study examined racial differences in multimorbidity in the multiracial cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto), ELSA-Brasil. Methods The study examined baseline (2008–2010) data for 14 099 ELSA-Brasil participants who self-reported being white, mixed-race, or black. A list of 16 morbidities was used to evaluate multimorbidity, operationalised by simple count into ≥ 2, ≥ 3, ≥ 4, ≥ 5 and ≥ 6 morbidities, in addition to evaluating the number of coexisting conditions. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated from logistic models and a quantile model was used to examine racial differences graphically in the distribution quantiles for the number of morbidities. Results Overall prevalence of multimorbidity (≥ 2 morbidities) was 70% and, after controlling for age and sex, was greater among mixed-race and black participants – by 6% (PR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03–1.08) and 9% (PR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06–1.12), respectively – than among white participants. As the cutoff value for defining multimorbidity was raised, so the strength of the association increased, especially among blacks: if set at ≥ 6 morbidities, the prevalence was 27% greater for those of mixed-race (PR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.07–1.50) and 47% greater for blacks (PR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.22–1.76) than for whites. The disparities were smaller in the lower morbidity distribution quantiles and larger in the upper quantiles, indicating a heavier burden of disease, particularly on blacks. Conclusions Multimorbidity was common among adults and older adults in a Brazilian cohort, but important racial inequalities were found. Raising the cutoff point for defining multimorbidity revealed stronger associations between race/skin colour and multimorbidity, indicating a higher prevalence of multimorbidity among mixed-race and black individuals than among whites and that the former groups coexisted more often with more complex health situations (with more coexisting morbidities). Interventions to prevent and manage the condition of multimorbidity that consider the social determinants of health and historically discriminated populations in low- and middle-income regions are necessary.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13715-7MultimorbidityChronic diseaseDisease accumulationRacial inequalities in healthSocial determinants of health |
| spellingShingle | Fernanda Esthefane Garrides Oliveira Rosane Harter Griep Dora Chor Luana Giatti Luciana A. C. Machado Sandhi Maria Barreto Alexandre da Costa Pereira Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca Leonardo Soares Bastos Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) BMC Public Health Multimorbidity Chronic disease Disease accumulation Racial inequalities in health Social determinants of health |
| title | Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) |
| title_full | Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) |
| title_fullStr | Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) |
| title_short | Racial inequalities in multimorbidity: baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) |
| title_sort | racial inequalities in multimorbidity baseline of the brazilian longitudinal study of adult health elsa brasil |
| topic | Multimorbidity Chronic disease Disease accumulation Racial inequalities in health Social determinants of health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13715-7 |
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