Longitudinal Effects Of Social Determinants On Health-Related Behaviour And Multimorbidity Among Older Adults In Luxembourg: Exploring Health Inequalities

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death globally and are responsible for 70% of deaths worldwide. Of special concern is the increasing prevalence of multimorbidity and its impact on health outcomes andhealthcare utilization, particularly among the ageing population. “Multimorbidity” is often defined as the co-existenceof multiple chronic conditions within the same individual. In Europe, the prevalence of multimorbidity rose from 38.2percent in 2006 to 41.5 percent in 2015. The increasing prevalence rates of multimorbidity in Luxembourg are expected to significantly affect the complexity of disease prevention and management due to the possibility of adverse health outcomes and greater healthcare needs. Objectives: The aim of this Inter-Mobility grant application is to address prominent gaps in our knowledge on the effects of social determinants of health on health-related behaviour and multimorbidity in Luxembourg and how these critical determinants contribute to health inequalities in Luxembourg. Approach: We will employ longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), to a) assess the relationship between social determinants of health (e.g., education, income etc.), health-related behaviour (e.g., diet, physical activity, among other) and multimorbidity (derived from a list of 20 chronic conditions measured in the SHARE) in residents of Luxembourg; b) assess whether changes in social determinants of health affect changes in health-related behaviour and multimorbidity; c) determine whether the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of social determinants on health-related behaviour and multimorbidity differ for vulnerable groups (e.g., immigrants, those with overweight/obesity); and d) explore the causal pathways related to onset and progression of multimorbidity. Expected Outcomes: This examination will contribute to reveal social and environmental determinants of multimorbidity in Luxembourg. The results will be shared with relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, individuals, other research institutes in Luxembourg such as the LISER, and the scientific community in general in order to develop appropriate prevention measure