Multimorbidity, polypharmacy and primary prevention in community-dwelling adults in Quebec: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Polypharmacy carries the risk of adverse events, especially in people with multimorbidity. Objective To investigate the prevalence of polypharmacy in community-dwelling adults, the association of multimorbidity with polypharmacy and the use of medications for primary prevention. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of the follow-up data from the Program of Research on the Evolution of a Cohort Investigating Health System Effects (PRECISE) in Quebec, Canada. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of three or more chronic diseases and polypharmacy as self-reported concurrent use of five or more medications. Primary prevention was conceptualized as the use of statin or low-dose antiplatelets without a reported diagnostic of cardiovascular disease. Results Mean age 56.7 ± 11.6, 62.5% female, 30.3% had multimorbidity, 31.9% had polypharmacy (n = 971). The most common drugs used were statins, renin–angiotensin system inhibitors and psychotropics. Compared to participants without any chronic disease, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for having polypharmacy were 2.78 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23–6.28] in those with one chronic disease, 8.88 (95% CI: 4.06–19.20) in those with two chronic diseases and 25.31 (95% CI: 11.77–54.41) in those with three or more chronic diseases, P < 0.001. In participants without history of cardiovascular diseases, 16.2% were using antiplatelets and 28.5% were using statins. Multimorbidity was associated with increased likelihood of using antiplatelets (adjusted OR: 2.98, 95% CI: 1.98–4.48, P < 0.001) and statins (adjusted OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.63–5.37, P < 0.001) for primary prevention. Conclusion There was a high prevalence of polypharmacy in community-dwelling adults in Quebec and a strong association with multimorbidity. The use of medications for primary prevention may contribute to polypharmacy and raise questions about safety.

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Reliability of HOME FAST BRAZIL—Self-Reported Version for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.713202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Karina Stella Aoki Ferreira ◽

Tamires Terezinha Gallo da Silva ◽

Jarbas Melo Filho ◽

Natacha Verônica Bazanella ◽

Audrin Said Vojciechowski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Environmental Risks ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rater Reliability ◽

Risk Of Falls ◽

History Of ◽

Spearman Test ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Objective: Verify the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the HOME FAST BRAZIL—Self-reported version and correlate household environmental risks with the history of falls by community-dwelling older adults.Method: Cross sectional study with 50 community-dwelling older adults who were screened by the cut-off point of the Mini Mental State Exam and replied to the HOME FAST BRAZIL—Self-reported version using two evaluators, on three occasions. The reliability analysis was determined by the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), considering ICC > 0.70 as adequate. To test the correlations, the Spearman test was used.Results: The mean age of the participants was 73.2 ± 5.8 years. The inter- rater reliability of HOME FAST BRAZIL—Self-reported version was ICC 0.83 (IC95%, 0.70–0.90) and the Intra- reliability ICC 0.85 (IC95%, 0.74–0.91). A risk of falls was verified in 88% of the sample and four environmental risks presented significant correlations with the history of falls.Conclusions: The HOME FAST BRAZIL—Self-reported version presented adequate reliability for the evaluation of household environmental risks for community-dwelling older adults. Risks such as inadequate armchairs/ sofas, the absence of anti-slip mats in the shower recess, the presence of pets and inadequate beds require attention in the evaluation of household risks, due to their correlation with the occurrence of falls.

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Factors influencing Fear of Falling in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Singapore: A Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-963330/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jacqueline Giovanna De Roza ◽

David Wei Liang Ng ◽

Blessy Koottappal Mathew ◽

Teena Jose ◽

Ling Jia Goh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Clinical Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Frail Older Adults ◽

History Of ◽

The Mean ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract BackgroundFalls in older adults is a common problem worldwide. Fear of falling (FoF) is a consequence of falls which has far-reaching implications including activity restriction, functional decline and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with FoF in a segment of Singapore’s community-dwelling older adults. MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study recruited a convenience sample of adults aged 65 and above from 4 primary care clinics from September 2020 to March 2021. Data were collected on demographic factors and clinical factors including history of falls and frailty as determined by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). FoF was measured using the Short Falls Efficacy Scale–International (Short FES-I), cut-off score of 14 and above indicated high FoF. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of high FoF.ResultsOut of 360 older adults, 78.1% were Chinese and 59.7% females. The mean age was 78.3 years and 76 (21.1%) had a history of falls in the past six months. Almost half (43.1%) were mildly to moderately frail and most (80.6%) had three or more chronic conditions. The mean FoF score was 15.5 (SD 5.97) and 60.8% reported high FoF. Logistic regression found that Malay ethnicity (OR = 5.81, 95% CI 1.77 – 19.13), use of walking aids (OR = 3.67, 95% CI = 1.54 – 8.77) and increasing frailty were significant predictors for high FoF. The odds of high FoF were significantly higher in pre frail older adults (OR = 6.87, 95% CI = 2.66 – 17.37), mildly frail older adults (OR =18.58, 95% CI = 4.88 – 70.34) and moderately frail older adults (OR = 144.78, 95% CI = 13.86 – 1512.60).ConclusionsFoF is a prevalent and compelling issue in community-dwelling older adults, particularly those with frailty. The demographic and clinical factors identified in this study will be helpful to develop targeted and tailored interventions for FoF.

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PENGARUH PENYAKIT KRONIS DAN GAYA HIDUP TERHADAP KINERJA VERBAL FLUENCY KATEGORIK PADA LANSIA

Majalah Kedokteran Neurosains Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Saraf Indonesia ◽

10.52386/neurona.v37i1.97 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Alysia ◽

Yvonne Suzy Handajani ◽

Nelly Tina Widjaja ◽

Yuda Turana

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Chronic Illness ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Verbal Fluency ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Education Level ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

History Of

CHRONIC DISEASES AND LIFESTYLE IMPACT TO CATEGORY VERBAL FLUENCY PERFORMANCE IN ELDERLYABSTRACTIntroduction: In recent studies, chronic illness and sedentary lifestyle were found to bea risk factors for cognitive impairment. Verbal fluency (VF) is one of the most used instruments.Aim: To determine cognitive impairment using VF and its correlation with risk factors (chronic illness and lifestyle) in elderly.Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted toward 121 elderly respondents in August–September 2017 at Pusaka, West Jakarta. Cognitive impariment was assessesed using VF. VF otherwise disturbed if the value <16.03. Heart disease and stroke were determined by anamnesis. Blood pressure was determined using Riester tensimeter. that has been calibrated. Cholesterol and blood sugar were determined using laboratory result by CHOD-PAP method. Smoking was determined by asking the history of smoking. Physical activity was determined by 24-hour activity recall. Nutrition Intake was determined by food record.Results: There were 63.6% subjects wno had VF impairment. Most respondent were over 65 years old (71.9%), female (66.1%) and education level more than 6 years (72.7%). VF had a significant assosiation with education level (p=0.020; OR=3.792), and without cardiovascular disease (p=0.023; OR=0.111).Discussion: The mayority of respondents had VF impairment, lower education was consistenly as a risk factors while no history of cardiovascular disease as a protective factors of language impairment.Keywords: Chronic diseases, cognitive impairment, lifestyle, verbal fluencyABSTRAKPendahuluan: Pada beberapa penelitian terbaru ditemukan bahwa faktor risiko seperti penyakit kronis dan gaya hidup buruk meningkatkan risiko terkena gangguan fungsi kognitif. Salah satu instrumen yang sering digunakan adalah verbal fluency (VF).Tujuan: Mengetahui gambaran fungsi kognitif dengan instrumen VF dan hubungannya dengan faktor risiko (penyakit kronis dan gaya hidup) pada lansia.Metode: Penelitian potong lintang ini dilaksanakan pada 121 responden lansia pada bulan Agustus-September 2017 di Pusaka Jakarta Barat. Gangguan fungsi kognitif dinilai menggunakan instrumen VF. Verbal fluency dikatakan terganggu dengan nilai <16,03. Penyakit jantung dan stroke didapatkan dari anamnesis. Tekanan darah dari hasil pengukuran menggunakan tensimeter yang telah dikalibrasi sebelumnya. Pengukuran kolesterol dan gula darah didapatkan dari hasil laboratorium dengan metode CHOD-PAP. Merokok didapat dari anamnesis. Aktivitas fisik dinilai dari 24-hour activity recall. Asupan nutrisi dinilai dari kuisioner food record.Hasil: Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan subjek dengan gangguan VF sebanyak 63,6%. Mayoritas responden berusia diatas 65 tahun (71,9%), dengan jenis kelamin wanita (66,1%) dan tingkat pendidikan diatas 6 tahun (72,7%). Hasil analisis menunjukan bahwa instrumen VF memiliki hubungan bermakna dengan tingkat pendidikan rendah (p=0,020; RO=3,792), dan tidak berpenyakit jantung (p=0,023; RO=0,111).Diskusi: Mayoritas responden memiliki gangguan bahasa, pendidikan rendah diketahui secara konsisten sebagai faktor risiko sementara tidak ada riwayat penyakit jantung sebagai faktor protektif untuk gangguan fungsi bahasa.Kata kunci: Gangguan fungsi kognitif, gaya hidup, penyakit kronis, verbal fluency

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Rates and Predictors of Physician-Recommended and Self-Reported Aspirin Use in 2015

The Senior Care Pharmacist ◽

10.4140/tcp.n.2020.556 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (12) ◽

pp. 556-565

Author(s):

Taylor Naberhaus ◽

Nicole K. Early ◽

Kathleen A. Fairman ◽

Kelsey Buckley

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Primary Prevention ◽

Secondary Prevention ◽

Task Force ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Behavioral Risk ◽

Medication History ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Study Results ◽

History Of

OBJECTIVE: This study assesses the rate of providerrecommended aspirin use through the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) database versus self-reported aspirin use through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database and identifies factors that predict initiation of aspirin. This study provides insight into the rate of providerrecommended aspirin use versus self-reported aspirin use prior to the 2016 United States Preventive Service Task Force primary prevention recommendation update. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of US population data obtained from medical records (NAMCS) and community-dwelling residents in four states (BRFSS) in 2015. SETTING: Physician offices (NAMCS) and households or telephone (BRFSS). PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: NAMCS: visits made by patients 40 years of age or older to physicians who permitted federal employees to abstract officevisit data. BRFSS: household or telephone interview respondents 40 years of age or older. INTERVENTIONS: Comparisons of persons with (secondary prevention) versus without (primary prevention) cardiovascular disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURED: Recommended (NAMCS) or self-reported (BRFSS) use of aspirin. RESULTS: The sample included 19 170 patients (NAMCS), with 2 205 having a history of cardiovascular disease and 14 872 respondents (BRFSS) with 2 024 having a history of cardiovascular disease. For both primary and secondary prevention, respondents from BRFSS reported higher rates of aspirin use (27.7% primary, 65.6% secondary prevention) compared with prescribed rates from NAMCS (11.7% primary, 45.6% secondary prevention). CONCLUSIONS: Study results highlight the value of obtaining a complete medication history, including aspirin use, from all patients.

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Exercise on Prescription: A Cross-sectional Study With Self-reported Outcome

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2015-0015 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 377-384 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Helene Buch Pedersen ◽

Morten Helmer-Nielsen ◽

Karin Brochstedt Dieperink ◽

Birte Østergaard

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Lifestyle Diseases

Background:Exercise on prescription (EOP) is an attempt to increase physical activity among sedentary adults with signs of lifestyle diseases. Until now, no studies have focused on patients with chronic diseases and how they assess the long-term effect of participating in EOP consisting of supervised interventions of different intensities. This study aimed to describe and compare self-reported physical activity in the long term among participants in 3 EOP modules of different intensities.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1152 former participants in EOP between July 2005 and May 2007 in 2 Danish counties. Physical activity was measured as number of days with a minimum 30 minutes of moderate/vigorous activity.Results:Seventy-five percent (n = 854) returned the questionnaire. Of these, 36% reported being physically active ≥ 5 days/week. Comparing leisure-time activities before EOP 29% was sedentary vs. 15% (P < 0 .01) after, moderate + hard leisure-time activities was 7% before vs. 19% after EOP (P < 0 .01). Time postintervention did not influence the numbers reporting to be physical active negatively.Conclusions:This study in community-dwelling adults with chronic diseases participating in EOP finds that approximately one-third reported being physically active in the long term postintervention, but no differences between the modalities were found.

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A cross-sectional study on effect of non-communicable diseases on prevalent oral health conditions

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20164747 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 246 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aasim Farooq Shah ◽

Irfan Ashraf Baba ◽

Subha Soumya Dany ◽

Manu Batra

Keyword(s):

Chronic Disease ◽

Oral Health ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

General Health ◽

Dental Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Non Communicable Diseases

Background: Non communicable diseases (NCDs) are defined as diseases of long duration, generally progress slowly and are the major cause of adult mortality and morbidity worldwide. NCDs mainly lead by four diseases which include: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. Poor oral health reflects the general health, and several oral diseases are related to chronic diseases. The aim and objectives was to find casual association between NCDs with oral disease and further aims to provide evidence to health care providers regarding the significance of oral health while treating the patients for NCDs.Methods: The present cross sectional study was conducted to examine the oral health status of patients with NCD reporting to Dental OPD of Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar. This hospital based study done through a convenience sampling technique, using a questionnaire and oral examination. A self-administered questionnaire was written in English language and was also translated in local language, first part of questionnaire was used to collect the demographic details, second part was designed regarding the medication history, oral habits such as smoking and consumption of betel nuts, medical history and earlier visit to dentist, cleaning of teeth, significance of dental health and its effect on general health and the third part of questionnaire was completely based on dental examination. The data was entered manually on Microsoft excel and then analyzed on statistical package SPSS version 20. Associations between different variables were assessed through application of χ2. The Data was analyzed using SPSS Statistics 20.0.Results: The present study was established with a sample of 300 participants. Male to female ratio was 2:3. Mean age of the participants was 46.6 years. It was observed that out of the total patients who visited the dentist, 42% (n=126) suffered from some chronic disease. 61% (n=183) were oblivious of the importance of dental health. When inquired if oral health affects general health 58.6% (n= 176) acknowledged its importance. 59 participants who lost more than three teeth who had chronic disease, 58.6% (n=176) respondents presented with bleeding gums, 66.3% (n=199) with food deposition, 52% (n=158) had halitosis, 26% (n= 78) had oral ulceration, 22.3% (n=67).Conclusions: It was concluded from this study that majority of participants with chronic diseases had poor oral health which requires immediate attention from the medical practitioners as well as dentists should counsel patients for maintenance and promotion of oral health.

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Sex differences in impact of sarcopenia on falls in community-dwelling Korean older adults

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02688-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yunsoo Soh ◽

Chang Won Won

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Diagnostic Algorithm ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

History Of ◽

Adjusted Model ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Falls are one of the most serious health problems among older adults. Sarcopenia is characterized by a decrease in muscle mass, strength, and physical function. Due to potentially age-related conditions, both falls and sarcopenia have common risk factors. However, the association between sarcopenia and falls is controversial. Moreover, the sex differences in the impact of sarcopenia on falls is not yet clear. This study aimed to investigate the sex differences in the impact of sarcopenia, defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS), on falls in Korean older adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study; 2323 community-dwelling older adults (1111 males and 1212 females) aged 70–84 years were recruited in this cross-sectional study. To evaluate sarcopenia, the AWGS diagnostic algorithm was used. We compared the faller and non-faller groups. We performed unadjusted and fully adjusted logistic regression analyses to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia, falls, and fall-related fractures. Results A total of 239 (24.1%) females in the faller group had a history of falls in the past year, which was statistically higher than that in males (176, 15.8%). In the fully adjusted model, handgrip strength (odds ratio [OR] = 1.508, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.028–2.211), and short physical performance battery (OR = 2.068, 95% CI = 1.308–3.271) were significantly lower in the male faller group. However, in the fully adjusted model, the female faller group only showed a significantly low appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (OR = 1.419, 95% CI = 1.058–1.903). Conclusions This large cohort study aimed to identify the sex differences in the incidence of sarcopenia in the older Korean population, using the AWGS diagnostic algorithm, and its correlation with falls and fall-related fractures. The incidence of falls did not increase in the sarcopenia group. Among the sarcopenia components, sex differences affect the history of falls. Therefore, when studying the risk of falls in old age, sex differences should be considered.

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Evaluation of “being healthy, being away from chronic diseases” public service advertisement in Chongqing, China: A cross-sectional study

10.7287/peerj.preprints.2985 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Ping Hu ◽

Ting ting Wu ◽

Cheng bin Wu ◽

Hao Huang ◽

Zhirong Fu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Disease ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Public Service ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Media Campaigns ◽

The Public

Background: Chronic diseases have become a global public health issue, and mass media campaigns are often used to encourage and sustain positive behavior change. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of public service advertising on the awareness of Chongqing citizens. Methods: The theme of the public service advertisement launched in Chongqing was “being healthy, being away from chronic diseases.” A self-designed questionnaire was used in an outdoor intercept survey to collect information about the perception of citizens toward the effect of the advertisement on cognitive situations. Results: A total of 985 valid questionnaires were received. Respondents had good understanding of chronic disease (23.6±4.1, total score: 30), but only 58.4% of participants thought cancer is one type of chronic disease. The awareness of cancer as a chronic disease among the group who had seen this advertisement (63.6%) was higher than that of the group who had not seen the advertisement (56.5%) (p=0.046). After watching the advertisement, approximately 77.4% of participants attempted to remind their family and friends to prevent chronic diseases, roughly 78.2% tried to persuade their family and friends to change their unhealthy lifestyle habits, and 73.2% of participants reported that it increased the possibility of their own lifestyle change. Logistic regression analysis indicates that occupation, educational level, watching the advertising through TV, watching the advertising through indoor LED screen, and watching the advertising through mobile TV affected the three post-viewing behavior changes Conclusion : The public service advertisement achieved a certain knowledge propaganda effect. It may help change awareness and improve health behavior of the public. Key words: Public service advertisement , Chronic diseases, Health; Awareness, Behavior

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Digital Recruitment and Acceptance of a Stepwise Model to Prevent Chronic Disease in the Danish Primary Care Sector: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.11658 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Lars Bruun Larsen ◽

Jens Sondergaard ◽

Janus Laust Thomsen ◽

Anders Halling ◽

Anders Larrabee Sønderlund ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Low Cost ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Interaction Detection ◽

Health Checks

BACKGROUND During recent years, stepwise approaches to health checks have been advanced as an alternative to general health checks. In 2013, we set up the Early Detection and Prevention project (Tidlig Opsporing og Forebyggelse, TOF) to develop a stepwise approach aimed at patients at high or moderate risk of a chronic disease. A novel feature was the use of a personal digital mailbox for recruiting participants. A personal digital mailbox is a secure digital mailbox provided by the Danish public authorities. Apart from being both safe and secure, it is a low-cost, quick, and easy way to reach Danish residents. OBJECTIVE In this study we analyze the association between the rates of acceptance of 2 digital invitations sent to a personal digital mailbox and the sociodemographic determinants, medical treatment, and health care usage in a stepwise primary care model for the prevention of chronic diseases. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the rates of acceptance of 2 digital invitations sent to randomly selected residents born between 1957 and 1986 and residing in 2 Danish municipalities. The outcome was acceptance of the 2 digital invitations. Statistical associations were determined by Poisson regression. Data-driven chi-square automatic interaction detection method was used to generate a decision tree analysis, predicting acceptance of the digital invitations. RESULTS A total of 8814 patients received an invitation in their digital mailbox from 47 general practitioners. A total of 40.22% (3545/8814) accepted the first digital invitation, and 30.19 % (2661/8814) accepted both digital invitations. The rates of acceptance of both digital invitations were higher among women, older patients, patients of higher socioeconomic status, and patients not diagnosed with or being treated for diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the rates of acceptance of digital invitations to participate in a stepwise model for prevention of chronic diseases. More studies of digital invitations are needed to determine if the acceptance rates seen in this study should be expected from future studies as well. Similarly, more research is needed to determine whether a multimodal recruitment approach, including digital invitations to personal digital mailboxes will reach hard-to-reach subpopulations more effectively than digital invitations only.

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Chronic diseases, multimorbidity, and handgrip strength among older adults from Southern Brazil

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/1678-98652016000100005 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 43-52 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Júlia PESSINI ◽

Aline Rodrigues BARBOSA ◽

Erasmo Benício Santos de Moraes TRINDADE

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Living Arrangement ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Self Report ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Comorbid Chronic Diseases

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the association between various chronic diseases, multimorbidity, and handgrip strength in community dwelling older adults in Southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out with 477 older adults (60 years and older) who resided in Antônio Carlos, Santa Catarina state. Subjects aged 60-79 years were selected by probability sampling (n=343) and all subjects aged 80 years or older (n=134) were evaluated. Chronic diseases were identified by self-report. A mechanical dynamometer verified handgrip strength (i.e., the outcome). Adjustments variables were age, literacy, living arrangement, smoking, body mass index, cognitive function, and comorbid chronic diseases. Sex-stratified analyses were conducted with simple and multiple linear regression. Results: A total of 270 women (73.2±8.8 years) and 207 men (73.3±9.0 years) were assessed. In the adjustment analysis, cancer (β=-3.69; 95%CI=-6.97 to -0.41) and depression (β=-1.65; 95%CI=-3.20 to -0.10) were associated with lower handgrip strength in women. For men, diabetes (β=-5.30; 95%CI=-9.64 to -0.95), chronic lung disease (β=-4.74; 95%CI=-7.98 to -1.50), and coronary heart disease (β=-3.07; 95%CI=-5.98 to -0.16) were associated with lower handgrip strength values. There was an inverse trend between number of diseases and handgrip strength for men only. Conclusion: The results showed an independent association between chronic diseases and handgrip strength. As such, handgrip strength is a valid measure to use for prevention or intervention in chronic disease and multimorbidity.

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