Prevalence and patterns of morbidity among adults in Germany. Results of the German telephone health interview survey German Health Update (GEDA) 2009. 2012

J Fuchs, and M Busch, and C Lange, and C Scheidt-Nave
Robert Koch Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, General-Pape-Str. 62-66, 12101, Berlin, Germany. fuchsj@rki.de

To describe the prevalence and patterns of morbidity among adults in Germany, we collected self-reported information on 22 chronic health conditions in a nationally representative health survey among 21,262 participants (51.5% women, aged 18-100 years). Age- and sex-specific prevalences were calculated for single health conditions, disease categories, the most prevalent disease dyads and triads, and for multimorbidity defined by condition count. In both sexes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic back pain, obesity, and osteoarthritis were the most prevalent single health conditions and significantly increased with age. Cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal conditions were the two most prevalent disease categories in all age and sex groups. The most prevalent disease category dyads and triads included combinations between cardiometabolic conditions, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disease, depression, sensory limitations, and cancer. The prevalence and magnitude of multimorbidity strongly increased with age in both sexes. Among German adults, the prevalence of chronic health conditions varies greatly by age and sex. In contrast, patterns of morbidity and comorbidity differ according to age, but are highly consistent between men and women. The predominant role of cardiometabolic conditions in all groups underlines the need for preventive efforts. The co-occurrence of chronic health conditions among older is highly prevalent and this calls for tailoring health care towards specific disease combinations.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007407 Interviews as Topic Works about conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes works about school admission or job interviews. Group Interviews,Interviewers,Interviews, Telephone,Oral History as Topic,Group Interview,Interview, Group,Interview, Telephone,Interviewer,Interviews, Group,Telephone Interview,Telephone Interviews
D008017 Life Expectancy Based on known statistical data, the number of years which any person of a given age may reasonably be expected to live. Life Extension,Years of Potential Life Lost,Expectancies, Life,Expectancy, Life,Life Expectancies
D008297 Male Males
D002908 Chronic Disease Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2). Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D005260 Female Females
D005858 Germany A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D015995 Prevalence The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time. Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences
D017741 Survivors Persons who have experienced a prolonged survival after serious disease or who continue to live with a usually life-threatening condition as well as family members, significant others, or individuals surviving traumatic life events. Long-Term Survivors,Long Term Survivors,Long-Term Survivor,Survivor,Survivor, Long-Term,Survivors, Long-Term

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