Shifts in Chronic Disease and Comorbidity Patterns among Chinese Older Adults: an Analysis Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Background The challenge of aging is becoming increasingly severe in China. Understanding the trends in chronic disease prevalence and comorbidity spectrum among the elderly is crucial for primary healthcare. Objective To analyze the prevalence and comorbidity patterns of chronic diseases among the elderly in China based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) . Methods Participants aged ≥60 years from the 2011 (Wave 1) and 2015 (Wave 3) CHARLS dataset were selected. Their physical examination data and self-reported disease conditions, as well as the questionnaire data were extracted for descriptive statistical analysis of chronic disease and comorbidity prevalence, comparing changes over time. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to identify common clusters of comorbidities in the elderly and to assess their impact on daily living activities (evaluated using the Activities of Daily Living Scale, ADL) . Results A total of 7 290 individuals in 2011 and 9 845 in 2015, all ag