MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS IN RELATION TO DISABILITY AND SOCIAL PARTICIPATION: DATA FROM THE CLSA

While much is known about the effect of individual chronic conditions (CCs) on people’s ability to undertake their everyday activities, less is known about effect of having multiple CCs. We will present data from over 20,000 Canadian men and women on population patterns of self-reported CCs and how different combinations of CCs impact disability and social participation. Preliminary data suggest that although the proportion of people with 2+ CCs increases with age (22% in 45–54 vs. 52% in 75–89 year olds) and tends to be higher in females than males (36% vs. 30%), the difference between genders narrows with age. As well, combinations of chronic conditions with the same disease count differentially impact activities of daily living and social participation in men compared to women, and in middle-aged compared to older adults. Understanding these differences could help to increase the efficiency and quality of clinical care and improve public health.