Table 3. Adjusted Odds Ratios of Having Multiple Chronic Conditionsa Among Medicare- and Medicaid-Eligible Noninstitutionalized Adults, by Disability and Age Categories, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), 2005–2010b .
| Characteristic | Physical Disability Only,c N = 1,950,346 |
Physical Disability and Cognitive Limitation,d N = 605,887 |
Other Disabilitiese, N = 842,707 |
Total, N = 3,398,940 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–64, N = 590,967, OR (95% CI) | ≥65, N = 1,359,379, OR (95% CI) | 18–64, N = 243,236, OR (95% CI) | ≥65, N = 362,651, OR (95% CI) | 18–64, N = 228,488, OR (95% CI) | ≥65, N = 614,219, OR (95% CI) | 18–64, N = 1,062,692, OR (95% CI) | ≥65, N = 2,336,248, OR (95% CI) | |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Male | 0.74 (0.46–1.18) | 1.41 (0.84–2.35) | 1.11 (0.49–2.54) | 0.33 (0.12–0.90) | 1.30 (0.74–2.28) | 0.89 (0.62–1.28) | 0.76 (0.64–0.88) | 0.94 (0.86–1.03) |
| Female | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Age,f mean | 1.05 (1.02–1.08) | 1.00 (0.97–1.03) | 1.13 (1.08–1.19) | 0.99 (0.94–1.05) | 1.08 (1.05–1.10) | 1.00 (0.97–1.04) | 1.09 (1.09–1.10) | 1.05 (1.04–1.06) |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Non-Hispanic black | 1.08 (0.64–1.82) | 1.21 (0.64–2.26) | 3.89 (1.47–10.33) | 0.75 (0.22–2.52) | 1.53 (0.84–2.79) | 0.77 (0.47–1.26) | 0.91 (0.75–1.10) | 1.23 (1.05–1.43) |
| Other non-Hispanic | 1.28 (0.49–3.35) | 1.09 (0.50–2.41) | 3.76 (0.80–17.68) | 0.26 (0.07–0.97) | 0.85 (0.29–2.48) | 0.67 (0.35–1.31) | 1.10 (0.80–1.51) | 0.87 (0.68–1.12) |
| Hispanic | 0.86 (0.36–2.05) | 0.44 (0.24–0.80) | 2.21 (0.75–6.53) | 0.54 (0.18–1.66) | 0.80 (0.40–1.62) | 0.67 (0.39–1.13) | 0.65 (0.52–0.82) | 0.72 (0.60–0.86) |
| Education | ||||||||
| Less than high school diploma | 1.24 (0.60–2.55) | 1.60 (0.69–3.71) | 2.31 (0.57–9.40) | 0.72 (0.14–3.64) | 1.02 (0.30–3.45) | 1.45 (0.81–2.58) | 1.12 (0.89–1.46) | 1.35 (1.17–1.55) |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.12 (0.54–2.30) | 1.20 (0.49–2.98) | 4.60 (1.11–19.05) | 2.87 (0.40–20.71) | 1.09 (0.32–3.71) | 0.89 (0.46–1.72) | 1.15 (0.91–1.46) | 1.15 (1.03–1.30) |
| More than high school diploma | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Incomeg | ||||||||
| Poor | 1.19 (0.72–1.95 | 1.37 (0.86–2.16) | 1.82 (0.87–3.79) | 0.78 (0.40–1.53) | 0.69 (0.44–1.09) | 1.15 (0.83–1.60) | 0.96 (0.83–1.10) | 0.98 (0.85–1.12) |
| Not Poor | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Married | ||||||||
| Yes | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| No | 0.55 (0.33–0.93) | 1.55 (0.94–2.55) | 0.27 (0.09–0.83) | 0.61 (0.20–1.86) | 0.93 (0.44–2.00) | 0.92 (0.62–1.38) | 0.97 (0.83–1.14) | 1.06 (0.95–1.18) |
| US region | ||||||||
| Northeast | 1.55 (0.62–3.85) | 1.54 (0.73–3.22) | 1.37 (0.38–4.90) | 1.18 (0.36–3.88) | 0.45 (0.18–1.12) | 1.50 (0.89–2.54) | 1.13 (0.90–1.43) | 0.99 (0.84–1.18) |
| Midwest | 2.30 (1.09–4.86) | 1.30 (0.57–2.98) | 1.00 (0.29–3.44) | 3.61 (0.70–18.58) | 1.41 (0.52–3.80) | 2.46 (1.26–4.79) | 1.59 (1.26–2.00) | 0.99 (0.83–1.17) |
| South | 1.02 (0.49–2.12) | 1.15 (0.61–2.18) | 0.17 (0.06–0.55) | 2.40 (0.96–5.98) | 1.14 (0.47–2.78) | 1.54 (0.95–2.50) | 1.69 (1.35–2.12) | 1.09 (0.95–1.24) |
| West | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Urban residenceh | ||||||||
| MSA | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Non-MSA | 0.97 (0.52–1.80) | 0.83 (0.48–1.41) | 1.83 (0.70–4.80) | 0.81 (0.30– 2.18) | 0.58 (0.31–1.11) | 0.90 (0.52–1.57) | 1.31 (1.08–1.61) | 0.94 (0.82–1.08) |
| Health status | ||||||||
| Excellent/very good/good | 0.37 (0.24–0.50) | 0.69 (0.46–1.03) | 0.24 (0.10–0.58) | 0.37 (0.16–0.85) | 0.37 (0.20–0.67) | 0.57 (0.39–0.85) | 0.27 (0.24–0.31) | 0.27 (0.24–0.31) |
| Fair/poor | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Have a usual source of medical care | ||||||||
| Yes | 1.36 (0.67–2.74) | 1.34 (0.61–2.94) | 3.53 (0.90–13.82) | 2.60 (0.67–10.08) | 1.05 (0.44–2.53) | 2.80 (1.64–4.79) | 2.27 (1.88–2.75) | 3.02 (2.52–3.63) |
| No | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
| Healthy weighti | ||||||||
| Yes | 0.42 (0.27–0.65) | 0.41 (0.25–0.68) | 0.25 (0.12–0.51) | 0.24 (0.11–0.53) | 0.40 (0.22–0.73) | 0.54 (0.34–0.87) | 0.39 (0.34–0.46) | 0.34 (0.31–0.39) |
| No | 1 [Reference] | |||||||
Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.
Defined as 2 or more of the 7 identified by using MEPS in this analysis (heart attack, coronary heart disease, angina, angina pectoris, other heart disease [these 5 grouped as “cardiovascular”], stroke, emphysema, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and asthma). For chronic conditions, the full year consolidated files for MEPS include only questions related to these conditions.
All point estimates are weighted. The multiple logistic regressions using multiple chronic conditions as the dependent variable were controlled for individual’s sex, age, race, ethnicity, education, marital status, region of residence, rural or urban residence, health status, usual source of care status, and healthy weight, and included the intercept term. The likelihood ratio test comparing the predicted model to the null model indicated a significant improvement of fit.
Includes those with functional limitations or those who use assistive devices. This means anyone who reported having long-term walking limitations, long-term need for assistive device, or long-term need for assistance with activities of daily living but did not report cognitive limitation.
Includes those who reported having both a cognitive limitation and a physical disability. Cognitive limitations included those who reported confusion or memory loss, having problems making decisions, or requiring supervision for their own safety.
Includes anyone who reported cognitive limitations alone or other types of disabilities such as those that were related to mental health.
Change in OR for each year of age in the category.
Income is computed (by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) as family income as a percentage of the poverty line (http://meps.ahrq.gov/survey_comp/hc_technical_notes.shtml, accessed August 5, 2013). People were considered to have “poor” income if they reported an income that fell into the category of “poor/negative.”
Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) have at least 1 urbanized area of 50,000 or more population plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/omb/bulletins/fy2009/09-01.pdf, accessed December 26, 2012).
Body mass index (BMI) categories from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm, accessed December 26, 2012). These are calculated using the following formula: [weight in pounds ÷ (height in inches × height in inches)] × 703. Healthy weight is defined as having a body mass index of greater than 18.5 and less than 30. Underweight (<18.5) was under 4% in all of the categories studied.