Assistant Professor, Nutrition Specialist University of Nevada, Reno Reno, Nevada, United States
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) and identify its determinants among the adult population in Nevada, USA
Methods: The Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects surveillance data from all 50 US states on risk behaviors, among non-institutionalized adult populations >18 years of age. The variables and questions for the survey are adapted from the national surveys to ensure quality and validity and further enable comparison between states. The core module of the questionnaire elicited demographic details, the optional module on chronic diseases, and the third module added state-selected questions. Probability sampling for telephone and disproportionate stratified sampling was used for landline interviews. The weighting of samples ensured the representation of samples residing in different states and accounted for non-response bias and non-coverage. This analysis utilized chronic disease data from BRFSS 2022, that included myocardial infarction, stroke, angina, asthma, COPD, depressive disorder, kidney disease, some form of arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.
Results: Among the chronic conditions arthritis (33.6%) showed the highest prevalence, followed by depressive disorder (19.0%) and asthma (17%). Diabetes and cancer accounted for 13 and 12 % respectively. Stroke ranked the least with < 5%. MCC prevalence was 33.3% in Nevada. Sociodemographic characteristics such as being married showed lower risk (COR 0.775, CI: 0.668-0.899, unemployed (COR: 3.799, CI:1.55-9.2), annual income < $50,000 (COR 1.578, CI: 1.27- 1.95) (AOR 1.67, CI 1.24- 2.25), and being a veteran (COR 1.58, CI: 1.2-0.94) were factors that increased the risk of MCC among the Nevada adult population.
Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions for high-risk populations such as, low-income, and the unemployed, to reduce the disease burden of chronic conditions and improve health outcomes. Policy efforts should address the determinants and invest in strategies for the management of chronic conditions.
Funding Sources: Department of Nutrition, Extension and Experiment Station, University of Nevada, Reno
