New study finds chronological age may not be the best guide to prevention and care
Life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century, thanks to remarkable advances in basic science, medicine and public health. That longer average lifespan, however, brings a greater risk of developing multiple chronic diseases at once. While so-called multimorbidity is known to be associated with poorer health outcomes—including increased hospitalizations, emergency department visits and…
A recent study published in the Journal of Population Ageing has challenged the conventional wisdom that chronological age is the best indicator for disease prevention and care. Researchers at Rockefeller University and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science have discovered that as people age, their combination of chronic health conditions becomes less uniform.
This finding suggests that clinical guidelines based solely on a person's age may not account for the unique nuances of each individual's health profile. The study, which analyzed data from over 238,000 adults, highlights the importance of personalized medicine in addressing the complex issue of multimorbidity, or the presence of multiple chronic conditions in a single individual.
Joel Cohen, director of Rockefeller's Laboratory of Populations, emphasizes that guidelines for clinical care should be tailored to each person's specific combination of health issues rather than relying on age alone. Jonathan Tobin, director of Community-Engaged Research at Rockefeller, notes that this shift in perspective is essential for advancing personalized medicine.
The study's findings stem from a larger project aimed at improving health outcomes for patients with high levels of multimorbidity. Despite being among the most vulnerable populations, these individuals are often underrepresented in clinical research due to their complex health profiles. The researchers sought to address this gap by focusing their efforts on patients receiving care at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which serve low-income communities.
By analyzing de-identified health records from 16 FQHCs in Chicago and New York City, the team identified nearly 2,000 participants enrolled in the Tipping Points clinical trial. This trial tests whether targeted interventions can reduce hospitalizations and disability among individuals with multimorbidity. The study's authors hope that their findings will prompt a reevaluation of clinical guidelines, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach based on age and towards a more nuanced, individualized strategy for disease prevention and care.
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