What is a comorbidity?
You may have heard the term ‘comorbidity’. It comes from the word ‘morbidity’, which means suffering from a disease or condition. Common morbidities in Canada include hypertension, arthritis, cancer and heart disease1.
When you have a comorbidity (also called multi-morbidity) it means you’re suffering from two or more diseases or conditions at the same time.
Sometimes, these comorbidities are unrelated. However, there are often common risk factors that are linked to many chronic diseases. For example, people who suffer from weight problems are more likely to have comorbidities like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea2.
How common is comorbidity?
Comorbidity is quite common in Canada.
A recent study estimates that 21% of Canadians (50 yrs old +) have one or more chronic condition.3
They found females were more likely to have a chronic condition than males. Also, you’re more likely to suffer from a chronic condition as you get older.
Depending on the severity of the diseases, comorbidities can have a big impact on your wellbeing and may even shorten your life.
