Multimorbidity and use of health services in the oldest old in Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity in long-lived Brazilian elderly (age ≥80 years) and to relate it to the use of health services. Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study with data from the 2019 National Health Survey (n =6,098). They were estimated frequencies of use of services in the elderly with multimorbidity and according to sex, medical health insurance ownership, and self-rated health. The prevalence rates, crude and adjusted prevalence ratios, and the respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: The average age of the elderly was 85 years and about 62% were women; the prevalence of multimorbidity was 57.1%, higher in women, in those with health insurance, and residents in the southern region of the country (p <0.05). In the oldest old with multimorbidity, the use of services in the last 15 days reached 64.6%, and more than 70% were hospitalized in the last year or did not carry out activities in the previous two weeks for health reasons. Differences were observed for the indicators of service use in relation to sex, possession of medical health insurance, and self-rated health, according to multimorbidity. Conclusion: Indicators for the use of health services were higher in the elderly who accumulate two or more chronic diseases, regardless of sociodemographic conditions and self-rated health, showing the impact of multimorbidity per se in determining the use of services among oldest old.