Multimorbidity and persistent depression among veterans with diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension

This study investigated the association between multimorbidity and persistent depression among cohorts of veterans with diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension. The retrospective longitudinal analysis used national administrative data on around 1.38 million Veteran Health Administration clinic users merged with Medicare claims data. Multimorbidity was defined as the concurrent presence of two or more chronic conditions (for example, diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension). Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regressions analyzed the odds in tested relationships. Of all veterans, 5.6 percent were diagnosed with persistent depression. Persistent depression was significantly more likely among veterans with multimorbidity than among those with only hypertension. Veterans with multiple chronic conditions have intensive, long-term health care needs due to persistent depression and, thus, require extensive coordination across a broad spectrum of services.