Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability overlap and increase healthcare use among older Chinese

Geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability are prevalent among ageing population. However, no study empirically examined their additive or synergistic effect on healthcare use. The present study aims to estimate overlapping prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability; and to examine associations of these three conditions with healthcare use.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above in 12 Hong Kong districts. Pearson’s chi-squared test for trend was performed to examine prevalence of geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability across three age groups (60–69, 70–79, and ≥ 80). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to explore associations of these three conditions with three types of healthcare use (hospital admission, general outpatient clinic and specialist outpatient clinic attendance) respectively.

Among 2618 participants, 75.3, 41.8, and 22.5% had geriatric syndromes, multimorbidity, and disability respectively, and 10.4% had all the three conditions. Prevalence of the three conditions and their coexistence significantly increased with age (p for trend < .001). Each condition was independently associated with at least two out of three types of healthcare use. Interestingly, the associations of multimorbidity and disability with specialist outpatient clinic attendance were weakened at older age, while the associations of geriatric syndromes with hospital admission and specialist outpatient clinic attendance were strengthened. Furthermore, the odds of all the three types of healthcare use increased with the number of conditions present (p for trend < .001).

Our findings support that the three conditions overlap and increase healthcare use. Early identification, prevention and intervention targeting older adults living with multiple healthcare needs are necessary.