Sociodemographic and Clinical Determinants of Multimorbidity of Underlying Conditions That Increase the Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19 in Chronic Adult Individuals

Multimorbid patients represent a special population of vulnerable individuals who suffer from two or more long-term conditions. They are a very prevalent group with an increased risk of death from COVID-19. The present study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical determinants of multimorbidity of underlying conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 in chronic adult individuals by analyzing data from the Portuguese National Health Survey 2019. The inclusion sample consisted of 7859 adult residents in Portugal who had at least one chronic condition. The health conditions considered for multimorbidity were CKD, COPD, heart conditions, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking. In Portugal, approximately 6 out of every 10 individuals with chronic diseases suffer from one or more conditions that are on the list of those at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease, and approximately 2 out of every 10 individuals have multimorbidity. Obesity and diabetes are the most frequent risk factors. Timely interventions (e.g., regular medical follow-up for preventive health services and health information) targeting multimorbidity in males and individuals with low educational levels, a poor health status, and low functionality may help to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 sequelae, and to improve health in a large proportion of the population.