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Women are more likely to have multiple health symptoms as they age

A new study that examined the prevalence and impact of common occurring symptoms among community dwelling older adults found that women were more likely to have more symptoms than men.

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Trouble falling or staying asleep at night
  • Depression or anxiety

The researchers also recorded measurements of the participants’ grip strength, whether they walked slowly, their balance, and their ability to rise from a chair. They were also asked whether they had fallen one or more times in the last year.

The researchers also measured whether participants had any chronic diseases, whether they had an overnight hospital stay during the last year, and whether they had trouble performing their daily activities (such as getting in or out of bed, eating, toileting, bathing, and getting dressed).

The researchers found that 75% of older adults had at least one symptom and nearly half had two or more symptoms. They noted that nearly 14% had four or more symptoms.

The researchers learned that:

  • Symptoms increased with older age.
  • Women were more likely to have more symptoms than men.
  • Compared to white individuals, black and Hispanic participants had more symptoms. Older adults with lower levels of education had a higher number of symptoms than those with higher education levels.
  • Current smoking, obesity, and an inactive lifestyle were also associated with a higher number of symptoms.
  • Participants who had a chronic medical condition, or multiple chronic conditions, also experienced more symptoms.

Importantly, older adults who reported more symptoms had weaker grip strength and walked more slowly. Over time, older adults with more symptoms had an increased risk of falls, hospitalisations, disability, and mortality.

The researchers believe that as we age and experience more multiple chronic conditions, the number of us living with multiple symptoms as older adults is likely to grow. While healthcare providers understand that treating symptoms is important to improving quality of life at the end-of-life, there is less understanding about the best way to treat multiple symptoms that older adults experience.

The researchers said that their findings highlight the need for more research on symptoms in older adults to develop effective management strategies.

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