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Living with multiple chronic conditions or multimorbidity (MM) requires adjustments across multiple life domains, including maintaining quality of life (QOL), and protecting mental health. Among older adults in the U.S., for whom MM is now the norm, depressive symptoms and poor QOL confer increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Hispanic/Latino older adults are more likely to sustain early onset of MM, report poorer self-rated health, and experience significant difficulties accessing health care compared to their Non-Hispanic White peers. Yet despite these compounding vulnerabilities, most research on potential mechanisms underlying the association between MM and psychosocial adjustment (depressive symptoms, QOL) has focused on non-Hispanic/Latino populations. Understanding the relationship between MM and psychosocial adjustment—as well as the role of modifiable targets—in Hispanic/Latino older adults could help develop culturally appropriate interventions to improve psychosocial adjustment to MM in this population. Such interventions are urgently needed as the Hispanic/Latino population is at high risk for MM while aging faster and in greater poverty.
With the long-term goal of developing a community-based intervention, we have been conducting a 2-phase mixed-methods study in senior centers across NYC, examining potential intervention targets to improve psychosocial adjustment to MM among Hispanic/Latino older adults. Phase 1 consists of a one-time survey study of 200 Hispanic/Latino older adults with MM, and Phase 2 will consist of focus groups to delve deeper into Phase 1 findings and explore a potential follow-up intervention.
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