Understanding changes in complex care needs over time: key research insights into multimorbidity trajectories

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Multimorbidity, the co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions, presents a significant global health challenge.
• Current research predominantly uses cross-sectional studies, limiting understanding of disease evolution over time.
• A shift towards longitudinal research is needed to capture the dynamic nature of multimorbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a paradigm shift towards longitudinal approaches in multimorbidity research.
• To guide future research on the dynamic processes underlying multimorbidity trajectories.
• To identify key themes and findings from expert discussions on advancing multimorbidity research.

Main Methods:

• Expert discussions from an international workshop.
• Review of existing literature and data resources on multimorbidity.
• Identification of challenges and opportunities in longitudinal multimorbidity research.

Main Results:

• Longitudinal approaches are essential for understanding multimorbidity evolution.
• Key themes include standardizing phenotypes, integrating care processes, and validating trajectory usefulness.
• Methodological innovation, patient involvement, data harmonization, and collaboration are vital.

Conclusions:

• A trajectory-based framework can enhance understanding of disease accumulation.
• This framework supports personalized, efficient, and equitable healthcare strategies.
• Advancing multimorbidity research requires interdisciplinary collaboration and methodological advancements.