%0 Journal Article
%T The Engagement in Physical Activity for Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions: Findings from a Community Health Assessment
%A Wei-Chen Lee
%A Marcia G. Ory
%J Journal of Aging Research
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/152868
%X The current aging trends accompanying the increasing prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) and decreasing participation in physical activity (PA) have swept the United States. In light of the magnitude of this phenomenon, this study seeks to identify the most common MCC combinations and their relationships with PA level. A cross-sectional study, Brazos Valley Health Assessment, was conducted between October 2009 and July 2010. All data analyses were performed by STATA 12.0. The overall sample which met the inclusion criteria is 2,603. Among people older than 45 years, chronic conditions of cardiovascular, endocrine, and musculoskeletal systems were the most prevalent. Participants with three chronic conditions were less likely to meet the PA standard than those with only two chronic conditions. Younger age, women, rural residence, and unsafe environments were related to the lower PA level. After adjusting for seven covariates, all MCCs combinations adversely affect the level of PA ( , ). People with MCCs were among the least active subgroups despite the health benefits of doing exercise. Given the well-documented benefits of physical activity for delaying the onset or progression of MCCs, public health efforts to enhance regular PA in middle-aged and older adults are recommended. 1. Introduction As seen globally [1], the population in the US is aging [2]. There were approximately 120.1 million adults aged 45 years or older (39.30% of the total US population) in 2011, and this number is expected to rise to 162.8 million (42.96% of the total US population) by 2030 [3]. The rapid escalation of the aging population has been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) [4, 5]. The recent national emphasis on MCCs (defined as two or more chronic conditions) can be attributed, in part, to studies documenting the association of MCC with increased risks of adverse health outcomes, higher health care use, and associated costs [6¨C8]. Recent national data reported that around 63 million Americans had MCCs, and this number is projected to grow to 81 million by 2020 [9, 10]. For people aged 45¨C64 years old, the percentage of adults with two or more of nine selected chronic conditions has increased 5 percent from 1999 to 2009 [11]. This number is more than 8 percent for the group of people older than 65 years of age. The prevalence of MCCs in Medicare or veteran populations has been further explored. Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries (around 21.4 million) had at least two or more chronic conditions which were
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2013/152868/