scholarly journals Patients with Multiple Illnesses

Author(s):  
Abdulaziz Gari ◽  
Rayan Alghamdi ◽  
Yasir Aloufi ◽  
Saleem Alghamdi ◽  
Baraa Abukhudhayr ◽  
...  

Approximately one-third of all individuals have multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) worldwide. Certain disorders tend to cluster together often, with correlations, such as depression and stroke, Alzheimer’s illness and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis coupled and diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of MCC is highly variable according to the definition used and the number of conditions included in the study. In the United States, it was reported to be 23.1%. While other studies report MCC as high as 80% among elder population. The patient hardship encompasses a decline in standards of living, costly expenditures, adherence to multiple medications, incapacity to work, symptoms management, and a significant financial load on caregivers. This significant load from MCCs is expected to rise further. At the current time, the presence of more than one disease causes the patients to take multiple drugs, further prescribing may be indicated for the side effects of the used drugs. Furthermore, new conditions can be misdiagnosed and mistaken as side effects of the drugs the patients is taking. Strategies for treatments include establishing agreement on MCC taxonomy, putting more emphasis on MCC research, focusing on primary prevention to reduce morbidity, and shifting healthcare institutions and policies to a multiple-condition paradigm.

10.7249/tl221 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Buttorff ◽  
Teague Ruder ◽  
Melissa Bauman

SAGE Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401882238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra C. H. Nowakowski ◽  
Jihyung Shin ◽  
Henry J. Carretta

Prevalence of single and multiple chronic conditions continues to increase in the United States. Chronic conditions predict significant morbidity and health care costs, especially when complicated by additional conditions. Likewise, many conditions are linked to health risk behaviors, and thus amenable to prevention. We examine regional differences in prevalence of single and multiple chronic conditions. In the process, we examine the ability of health risk behaviors to predict condition prevalence in each region. We recommend national prevention strategies with targeted content for specific geographic regions. We used 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data ( N = 432,607) for all analyses. After grouping states into nine U.S. Census divisions, we fitted generalized linear mixed regression models and compared regional odds ratios with national averages. Analyses controlled for helpful and harmful behaviors, health insurance coverage, and demographic characteristics. Odds ratios for single and multiple chronic conditions deviated significantly from national averages in all nine regions. Health behaviors significantly predicted prevalence for both single and multiple conditions within regions, but differences in behaviors between regions did not fully account for observed disparities in prevalence. Significant regional differences in disease prevalence suggest priority areas for prevention efforts. Promoting healthy behaviors and mitigating harmful behaviors in high-risk regions may help to reduce overall chronic condition prevalence, but is unlikely to obviate disparities between regions. Targeted needs assessment should be conducted within each region with higher-than-average risk to determine intervention strategies with the greatest likelihood of near-term impact.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uba Backonja ◽  
Sarah Haynes ◽  
Katherine Kim

BACKGROUND About one out of every four people in the United States lives with multiple chronic conditions including cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Attempts to personalize care must take into account the individual’s comprehensive needs rather than focusing on one condition in isolation. Collection and presentation of person generated health data such as symptoms, medication use, physical activity, and health goals are important complements to clinical data in personalized care. There are challenges in integrating and making sense of these various data types in order for both patients and clinicians. User-centered design applied to data visualization has the potential to address this challenge by offering well-designed information displays that fit users’ needs and preferences. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of and feedback regarding visualizations developed to support care of individuals with multiple chronic conditions engaging in cancer care in one important user group, healthcare practitioners. METHODS Medical doctors (MDs; n=4) and Registered Nurses (RNs; n=4) providing cancer care at an academic medical center in the western United States provided feedback on visualization mockups. Mockup designs were guided by current health informatics and visualization literature and Munzner’s Nested Model for Visualization Design. Visualizations included: a four-week calendar view summarizing four measures; temporal line graphs of blood glucose, blood pressure, and weight; longitudinal symptom ratings. Visual encodings included color, lines or bands indicating expected normal ranges for various measures, and icons. User-centered design methods, a mock patient persona, and a scenario were used to elicit insights from participants. Directed content analysis was used to identify themes from session transcripts. Means and standard deviations were calculated for health care providers’ rankings of overview visualizations. RESULTS Themes identified were data elements, supportive elements, confusing elements, interpretation, and use of visualization. Overall, participants found the visualizations useful and with potential to provide personalized care. Use of color, reference lines, and familiar visual presentations (calendars, line graphs) were noted as helpful in interpreting data. Participants were confused by: the meaning of white spaces, the miniature line graphs indicating symptoms, and the different ways in which symptoms were quantified. Participants were able to see trends and spot recurrent issues using the calendar view and line graphs. The visualizations were perceived of as useful to: better understand the patient outside the clinic; empower patients engaging in self-management, and support provision of personalized care. CONCLUSIONS Visualizations guided by a framework and literature can support healthcare providers’ understanding of data for individuals with multiple chronic conditions engaged in cancer care. This understanding has the potential to support the provision of personalized care.


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