title: Health-related quality of life among adults with multiple chronic conditions in the United States, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among people with multiple chronic conditions. We examined the association between the number of chronic conditions and self-reported HRQOL outcomes among adults in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in 2007 (n = 430,912) to compare 4 HRQOL measures for people with any of 8 chronic conditions. We also assessed the frequency of self-reported physical and mental distress and the number of days activity was limited because of chronic conditions. We estimated prevalence and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by using survey logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with 3 or more chronic conditions had the highest risk of reporting fair or poor health compared with respondents with no chronic conditions (AOR, 8.7; 95% CI, 8.0-9.4). People with cardiovascular conditions or diabetes had higher risk of reporting poor HRQOL outcomes than those with other chronic conditions. The odds ratios for frequent physical distress were consistently higher than those for frequent mental distress and frequent activity limitations for all conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies that help clinicians to manage their patients' chronic conditions may contribute to improved HRQOL among adults. Our findings may help to inform these strategies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Urban Population Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1020 N 12th St, Suite 4180, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA. chen25@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Han-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Baumgardner
authors.forename: Jessica P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States