Multimorbidity and cardiometabolic clustering among university employees: findings from a comprehensive health assessment program in India
- 1Punyashlok AHilyadevi Holkar Solapur University
Abstract
ObjectiveTo estimate the burden and patterns of multimorbidity and cardiometabolic multimorbidity among university employees undergoing a comprehensive health assessment programme, and to examine demographic and behavioural factors associated with multimorbidity.
DesignCross-sectional study.
SettingA public university in Maharashtra, India.
ParticipantsA total of 266 university employees who underwent a comprehensive health assessment were included.
Main outcome measuresMultimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of nine chronic conditions: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, ischaemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, thyroid disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, ischaemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.
ResultsHypertension was identified in 119 participants (44.7%), comprising 50 participants with pre-existing hypertension and 69 newly identified during the assessment. Dyslipidaemia was present in 189 (71.1%) and diabetes mellitus in 45 (16.9%). Overall, 108 participants (40.6%) had multimorbidity and 103 (38.7%) had cardiometabolic multimorbidity. The prevalence of multimorbidity increased progressively with age, from 17.5% among participants aged <30 years to 83.3% among those aged [≥]60 years. The predominant exact multimorbidity patterns were hypertension with dyslipidaemia alone (49 participants) and hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia (27 participants). Overall, 173 participants (65.0%) had at least one newly identified hypertension, diabetes mellitus or dyslipidaemia diagnosis. In multivariable logistic regression, age (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.058 per year, 95% CI 1.027 to 1.091), BMI (aOR 1.163 per kg/m2, 95% CI 1.076 to 1.257) and tobacco use (aOR 3.296, 95% CI 1.377 to 7.888) were independently associated with multimorbidity. The model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.731.
ConclusionMultimorbidity affected approximately two in five university employees, with cardiometabolic conditions accounting for most of the observed disease clustering. Comprehensive health assessment identified a substantial burden of previously unrecognised chronic disease. Integrating institutional or occupational health assessment with longitudinal primary care follow-up may provide an opportunity for earlier detection, risk-factor modification and coordinated management of multimorbidity.
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BibTeX
@misc{jagtap2026multimorbidity,
title = {{Multimorbidity and cardiometabolic clustering among university employees: findings from a comprehensive health assessment program in India}},
author = {A. H. Jagtap and A. S. Ingole Patil and A. M. Kudale},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.20.26365860},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.20.26365860v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Multimorbidity and cardiometabolic clustering among university employees: findings from a comprehensive health assessment program in India
AU - A. H. Jagtap
AU - A. S. Ingole Patil
AU - A. M. Kudale
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.20.26365860
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.20.26365860v1
AB - ObjectiveTo estimate the burden and patterns of multimorbidity and cardiometabolic multimorbidity among university employees undergoing a comprehensive health assessment programme, and to examine demographic and behavioural factors associated with multimorbidity. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingA public university in Maharashtra, India. ParticipantsA total of 266 university employees who underwent a comprehensive health assessment were included. Main outcome measuresMultimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of nine chronic conditions: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, ischaemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, thyroid disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, ischaemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease. ResultsHypertension was identified in 119 participants (44.7%), comprising 50 participants with pre-existing hypertension and 69 newly identified during the assessment. Dyslipidaemia was present in 189 (71.1%) and diabetes mellitus in 45 (16.9%). Overall, 108 participants (40.6%) had multimorbidity and 103 (38.7%) had cardiometabolic multimorbidity. The prevalence of multimorbidity increased progressively with age, from 17.5% among participants aged <30 years to 83.3% among those aged [≥]60 years. The predominant exact multimorbidity patterns were hypertension with dyslipidaemia alone (49 participants) and hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia (27 participants). Overall, 173 participants (65.0%) had at least one newly identified hypertension, diabetes mellitus or dyslipidaemia diagnosis. In multivariable logistic regression, age (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.058 per year, 95% CI 1.027 to 1.091), BMI (aOR 1.163 per kg/m2, 95% CI 1.076 to 1.257) and tobacco use (aOR 3.296, 95% CI 1.377 to 7.888) were independently associated with multimorbidity. The model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.731. ConclusionMultimorbidity affected approximately two in five university employees, with cardiometabolic conditions accounting for most of the observed disease clustering. Comprehensive health assessment identified a substantial burden of previously unrecognised chronic disease. Integrating institutional or occupational health assessment with longitudinal primary care follow-up may provide an opportunity for earlier detection, risk-factor modification and coordinated management of multimorbidity.
ER -