Exploring Perceived Limitations to Daily Activities Due to Chronic Conditions: A Person-Centered Approach to Measuring Multimorbidity Severity

Abstract Background Person-centered approaches to measuring severity of multimorbidity (≥ 2 chronic conditions) can help clinicians assess the individual experience of multimorbidity and inform effective caregiving and intervention strategies. We examine how limitations in everyday activities attributable to specific chronic conditions act independently and in tandem to influence individual perceptions of multimorbidity severity. Methods Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (2005–2021) were used to investigate self-reported limitations in normal daily activities resulting from nine chronic conditions (hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, heart condition [heart disease/heart attack], cancer, lung disease, stroke, depression, and memory loss) in 4,318 adults aged 55–95 (18,878 person-wave observations). We used descriptive and inferential analyses to estimate limitations resulting from specific conditions, limitations attributable to condition combinations, and the contribution of comorbid conditions to condition-specific and overall severity. Follow-up analyses addressed mortality selection using inverse probability weighting (IPW) and examined cancer type and cancer status/treatment modality among respondents reporting cancer diagnosis. Results Of the more prevalent conditions, arthritis was associated with the most severe limitations to normal activities. Memory loss was the least frequent condition reported, but resulted in the most severe limitations, and as a comorbid condition, increased limitations reported for most conditions. IPW adjusted models revealed heterogeneity in estimates for some conditions including cancer and cancer survivors tended to report less lethal cancers that were cured or in remission. Conclusions Our results suggest that efforts to prevent and treat arthritis and support cognitive function may reduce the severity of multimorbidity experienced by the individual.