Reliable treatment burden measures are needed given the aging population and the associated increase in multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Treatment burden is defined as the effort to care for one’s health and the resulting impact on one’s daily life. This study aimed to translate the Multimorbidity Treatment Burden Questionnaire (MTBQ) for French-Canadians and assess its reliability and validity. The MTBQ was translated and tested with cognitive debriefing interviews, and the French version (MTBQ-F) was then administered 2 times among 105 participants. Reliability and validity were examined using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach’s alpha, and Spearman’s correlations. The median global MTBQ-F scores were 32.69 (interquartile range [IQR]: 21.15-48.08) and 30.77 (IQR: 21.15-46.15) for the first and second administrations, respectively. Test-retest (ICC: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.63-0.81) and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.80) were good. There was a moderate positive correlation between the MTBQ-F score and the number of self-reported conditions (rho: 0.28). This valid instrument could identify patients experiencing a high treatment burden and assess the impact of interventions among them.

This study examines associations between lifestyle behavioural factors and appraisals of “healthy aging” among older adults experiencing multimorbidity. A Social Determinants and Health Behaviour Model (SDHBM) is used to frame the analyses. Using baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), we studied 12,272 Canadians 65 years of age or older who reported 2 or more of 27 chronic conditions. Additional analyses were conducted using three multimorbidity clusters: cardiovascular/metabolic, musculoskeletal, and mental health. Using hierarchical logistic regression, it was found that, for multmorbidity and the three illness clusters, healthy aging is consistently associated with not smoking (except for the mental health cluster), an absence of obesity (except for the cardiovascular and metabolic cluster), better sleep, and a better appetite. It is not associated with inactivity. Several socio-demographic, environmental, and illness covariates were also supported. The findings are examined using the SDHBM coupled with a resilience lens in order to elucidate how modifiable health behaviours can act as resources to mitigate multimorbidity adversities. This has implications for healthy aging for persons with multimorbidity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Self-reported health is a predictive measure of morbidity and mortality across populations. A comprehensive understanding of the factors that shape self-reported health among community-dwelling older adults, a growing population globally, is lacking. The aim of this review was to summarize the factors that are associated with self-reported health among this population and identify key areas for future research. Accordingly, we conducted a scoping review using the stage-wise framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley. We summarized 42 factors, as identified in 30 publications, and organized them into four categories. Key factors shaping self-reported health included the presence of chronic conditions and depressive symptoms. As the population of community-dwelling older adults continues to increase, there remains a need to understand how these identified factors shape self-reported health. To date, empirical research has been limited to observational and cross-sectional designs. There is a need to further explore these factors in longitudinal data.

The purpose of this study was to identify the self-report physical activity (PA) tool best suited for assessment of PA in community-dwelling older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). PA can positively influence physical and psychological health in this population. Although self-report PA tools exist, little is known about the psychometric properties and feasibility of using these tools in older adults with MCC. A systematic literature review from 2000 to 2018 was conducted of studies reporting on the psychometric properties and feasibility of 18 self-report PA tools for community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years) to determine the suitability of these tools for use in older adults with MCC. Based on an assessment of the available evidence for the psychometric properties and feasibility of 18 different self-report PA tools, the Physical Activity Assessment Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is recommended as the best-suited self-report PA tool for older adults with MCC.

Canadian older adults with complex health problems are often considered ineligible for traditional rehabilitation programs but may benefit from slow stream rehabilitation (SSR). This scoping review summarizes the literature related to SSR for older adults, within single-payer health care systems. Methods: Peer-reviewed and grey-literature documents relevant to older adults in SSR were systematically reviewed. Results: 1,445 documents were screened independently by two reviewers [Cohen Kappa value of 0.78 (CI = 0.73, 0.83)], and included 18 documents. SSR programs were found to be multidisciplinary with a mean duration ranging from 30 to 141.2 days. SSR participants were more likely to be female, with a mean age range of 72–82 years, multiple co-morbidities and mild-to-moderate cognitive impairments. SSR participants demonstrated improvements in physical and functional measures. Discussion: SSR programs have the potential to be an integral part of the continuum of care for older adults with complex medical histories.