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Background: Multimorbidity including physical and mental illness is increasing in prevalence. We aimed to investigate the associations between physical conditions and medication use with anxiety and depression in midlife. Methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study of volunteers in the PREVENT Dementia study. Using logistic and linear regression, we investigated the association between increasing numbers of self-reported chronic physical conditions and medications with self-reported depression and anxiety disorder, and scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) state subtest. Results: Of the 210 participants, 148 (71%) were women and 188 (90%) Caucasian. The mean age was 52 (standard deviation (SD) = 5.5) years. The mean number of physical conditions was 2.2 (SD = 1.9) and medications 1.7 (SD = 2.2). Each additional physical condition was associated with increased odds of self-reported depression (odds ratio (OR) 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–1.80; p = 0.004, adjusted for age and gender) and anxiety disorder (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.30–2.37; p < 0.001). Increasing medication use was associated with self-reported depression (adjusted OR per additional medication 1.35, 95% CI 1.08–1.71; p = 0.008) but not anxiety disorder. For each additional condition, CES-D scores increased by 0.72 (95% CI 0.11–1.33; p = 0.020) and for each extra medication, by 0.88 (95% CI 0.32–1.44; p = 0.002). There was no significant association between increasing conditions and medications with STAI scores. In models accounting for antidepressant use, all associations were attenuated. Conclusions: Having more physical conditions is associated with anxiety and depression in midlife, and taking more medications is associated with depression but not anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify inconsistent self-reporting of chronic conditions between the baseline (2011–2015) and first follow-up surveys (2015–2018) in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), and to explore methods to resolve inconsistent responses and impact on multimorbidity.Community-dwelling adults aged 45–85 years in the baseline and first follow-up surveys were included (n = 45,184). At each survey, participants self-reported whether they ever had a physician diagnosis of 35 chronic conditions. Identifiable inconsistent responses were enumerated.32–40% of participants had at least one inconsistent response across all conditions. Illness-related information (e.g., taking medication) resolved most inconsistent responses (>93%) while computer-assisted software asking participants to confirm their inconsistent disease status resolved ≤53%. Using these adjudication methods, multimorbidity prevalence at follow-up increased by ≤1.6% compared to the prevalence without resolving inconsistent responses.Inconsistent self-reporting of chronic conditions is common but may not substantially affect multimorbidity prevalence. Future research should validate methods to resolve inconsistencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]