Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40427893›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Multimorbidity Patterns and Functioning Associations Among Adults in a Local South African Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Karina Berner, Diribsa Tsegaye Bedada, Hans Strijdom, Ingrid Webster, Quinette Louw

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Karina BernerDivision of Physiotherapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-2255-371X
Diribsa Tsegaye BedadaDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, P.O. Box 200, University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-0171-588X
Hans StrijdomCentre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-3726-9153
Ingrid WebsterCentre for Cardiometabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
Quinette LouwDivision of Physiotherapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-0238-0943

Funding

National Research Foundation 129853Stellenbosch University 129853
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Multimorbidity poses significant challenges for resource-constrained healthcare systems, particularly in low and middle income countries where specific combinations of chronic conditions may differentially impact function. This cross-sectional study examined multimorbidity patterns and associations with functioning among 165 adults attending semi-rural primary healthcare facilities in South Africa. Participants completed performance-based measures (handgrip strength, five-times sit-to-stand test, step test and exercise prescription tool [STEP] maximum oxygen consumption) and self-reported function (12-item WHODAS 2.0). Exploratory factor analysis identified three multimorbidity patterns: HIV-hypercholesterolaemia-obesity (Pattern 1), hypertension-anaemia-lung disease (Pattern 2), and stroke-heart disease-hypercholesterolaemia (Pattern 3). Pattern 1 was associated with reduced aerobic capacity (β = -6.41, 95% CI: -9.45, -3.36) and grip strength (β = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.07). Pattern 2 showed associations with mild (β = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.28, 1.97) and moderate (β = 1.48, 95% CI: 0.53, 2.43) self-reported functional problems and reduced grip strength (β = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.09, -0.003). Pattern 3 was associated with all self-reported impairment levels, with the strongest association for severe impairment (β = 2.16, 95% CI: 0.32, 4.01). These findings highlight the convergence of infectious and non-communicable diseases in this setting. Simple clinical measures like grip strength and self-reported function may hold potential as screening or monitoring tools in the presence of disease patterns, warranting further research.

Indexed as

MultimorbidityAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHand StrengthHumansHypertensionMaleMiddle AgedSouth AfricaYoung Adultactivities of daily livingdeveloping countriesexercise tolerancefunctional statushand strengthmultimorbidityprimary healthcareSouth Africa

Identifiers

PMID40427893
PMCPMC12111150

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.