Multiple chronic conditions were common in five African sites
The weighted share with at least two chronic conditions was 36%, ranging from 6.6% in rural The Gambia to 62.0% in urban South Africa.
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers studied 5,296 adults aged 40 or older in The Gambia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Their median age was 60, and 53% were women. This population-based cross-sectional study covered rural and urban sites in The Gambia and South Africa, and an urban site in Zimbabwe. Researchers recorded self-reported medical conditions and current medications. They also assessed blood pressure, blood glucose, mental health symptoms and other health measures. They defined multimorbidity as having at least two of 26 chronic conditions.
Overall, 1,926 participants (36%) had multimorbidity. Diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis were among the most common conditions contributing to multimorbidity. People with multimorbidity had lower health-related quality of life than those without it.
Why it matters
As African populations age and disease patterns change, the authors suggested that urban South Africa's high prevalence might foreshadow future trends across the region.
Caveats
The cross-sectional design could identify associations, not establish cause and effect. The study covered adults aged 40 or older in five sites, not Africa as a whole.
The paper
Imperial College London; University of Bristol
The Lancet Healthy Longevity, Oct 26, 2026
