While infectious diseases were the biggest health threats in the past, both non-communicable diseases and their risk factors have become the biggest health threats today. The elderly are more affected by non-communicable diseases than the young, and they face the problem of multimorbidity. In this context, the aim of the study is to evaluate 1) the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and risk factors, 2) the number of multimorbidities/risk factors of 2,458 individuals aged 65 and over who participated in the Turkish Health Survey (THS) conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) in 2019, and 3) to examine the multimorbidity/risk factor patterns by association rules analysis and social network analysis. According to the results of the research, low back and neck disorders and diabetes are diseases with a higher prevalence compared to other diseases. It is determined that lack of physical activity, obesity/overweight, and hypertension are risk factors with higher prevalence compared to other risk factors. Fifty-one percent of the individuals have multimorbidity and 64% have 2-4 risk factors. According to the results of association rules analysis and social network analysis, low back and neck disorders are the most co-existing non-communicable diseases. Among the risk factors, obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity are the most co-existing risk factors. Non-communicable diseases, multimorbidity, and risk factors are important health problems for elderly individuals in Turkey, and policymakers and health care managers should take the necessary precautions.
Primary Language | Turkish |
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Subjects | Health Policy |
Journal Section | Research Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | May 20, 2022 |
Submission Date | June 5, 2021 |
Published in Issue | Year 2022 |