Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Arthritis is a common debilitating condition, while the prevalence and burden of multimorbidity (2+ chronic conditions) is also increasing across the United States (US). The objective of this study was to investigate the variables significantly associated with multimorbidity among US adults (18+ years) with arthritis.
METHODS: This cross-sectional database study utilized 2023 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. A multivariable logistic regression model assessed the predisposing, enabling, and need variables associated with multimorbidity in US adults with arthritis. Predisposing variables included age, sex, ethnicity, and race. Enabling variables included employment, health insurance coverage, education, household income, and marriage status. Need variables included functional limitation, pain interference, health, mental health, regular exercise, and smoking status. Cluster, strata, and weighting variables maintained the complex data structure and generated nationally representative data estimates. The a-priori alpha was 0.05.
RESULTS: This study included 2,322 US adults with arthritis and multimorbidity (weighted n=44,031,491) and 944 US adults with arthritis but no multimorbidity (weighted n=21,481,078) for a total of 3,266 US adults with arthritis (weighted n=65,512,569). Variables statistically associated with higher odds of multimorbidity (versus no multimorbidity) included: age 65+ versus 18-39 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=9.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]=6.3, 15.4), age 40-64 versus 18-39 (aOR=3.8, 95% CI=2.3, 6.1), male versus female sex (aOR=1.5, 95% CI=1.2, 1.9), and functional limitation versus no functional limitation (aOR=1.4, 95% CI=1.1, 1.9). Variables statistically associated with lower odds of multimorbidity included: employed versus unemployed, (aOR=0.8, 95% CI=0.6, 0.9), no versus quite a bit/extreme pain interference (aOR=0.7, 95% CI=0.4, 0.9), excellent/very good versus fair/poor health status (aOR=0.4, 95% CI=0.2, 0.5), and good versus fair/poor health status (aOR=0.6, 95% CI=0.5, 0.9).
CONCLUSIONS: This analysis identified the predisposing, enabling and need variables associated multimorbidity among US adults with arthritis. Future work could explore targeted interventions on these variables to improve health-related outcomes.