Abstract
Introduction: Prevalence of multimorbidity has risen in recent years and increases with age. However, over 50% of individuals affected are under 65 years old and experience lower quality of life, higher mortality and make greater use of healthcare services. Still, research has not yet focused on the impact of multimorbidity on the everyday lives of middle age people. While pursuing professional careers, raising children, caring for elderly parents and preserving their leisure time, middle-aged persons with multimorbidity need to self-manage multiple chronic conditions during their daily lives, sometimes on very tight schedules.
Aims, Objectives, Theory or Methods: To determine how middle-aged persons (30-60 age group) with multimorbidity experience care in the context of their individual leisure time, families, and working lives. Perspectives of healthcare providers may help to identify potential barriers to caring for middle-aged persons with multimorbidity. A qualitative research approach is applied including interviews with multimorbid middle-aged adults and their principal healthcare providers, followed by an interdisciplinary workshop with healthcare providers. Data obtained in the interviews will be transcribed and coded inductively and deductively, and analyzed using content analysis. Workshop outputs will be interpreted and evaluated by the authors.
Highlights: This project will give insights into patients’ and healthcare providers’ views on living with multimorbidity in middle age. Using a qualitative approach, we expect to determine a wide range of barriers patients perceive related to their health activities, personal, social and professional lives. In addition, we expect to identify challenges described by healthcare providers. We will further synthesize ideas and approaches for improvement mentioned by both groups during the interviews. The outcomes of the project will be prevention recommendations on a patient, healthcare provider as well as system level that will reflect the experiences of middle-aged persons living with multimorbidity.
Conclusions: This study is the first to gather information on the care experiences of middle-aged adults with multimorbidity, and the key players in their care networks. The project will generate prevention recommendations that reflect the experiences of middle-aged persons living with multimorbidity and the views of their principal healthcare providers.
Implications for applicability / transferability, sustainability, and limitation: Multiple burdens (disease, treatment, family-life, paid-work) may hinder patient recruitment. Digital technologies, that need not be conducted face-to-face, will facilitate recruitment and data collection. Workshops will enrich the data and permit inter-professional dialogue. As the selection of healthcare professionals will be based on patient interviews, it may not be representative.