Patients with multiple conditions pose an enormous challenge to health systems that have been designed around single conditions. Multi-morbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management, increased burden for self-management, and increased health care costs. We aim to develop translational research on new models of care for people with multiple conditions. We are currently focussing on establishing the epidemiology of multi-morbidity and associated patterns. This work will allow the identification of specific patient groups more likely to benefit from novel methods of health care delivery. Work in this area (with a particular focus on impact on quality and safety of care) is being conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Manchester and Bristol and other departments within the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. We are developing a joint programme of research on the study of the epidemiology and impact of multi-morbidity using routine clinical datasets with the leading research Institute for Primary Care research in Spain, IDIAP Jordi Gol. Additional collaborations in this area include work with the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (Australian National University), the University of Galway (Ireland), and the University of Frankfurt (Germany).

Selected publications

No paradox, no progress: inverse cancer comorbidity in people with other complex diseases. Tabarés-Seisdedos R, Dumont N, Baudot A, Valderas JM, Climent J, Valencia A, Crespo-Facorro B, Vieta E, Gómez-Beneyto M, Martínez S, Rubenstein JL. Lancet Oncol. 2011 Jun;12(6):604-8.

A secondary analysis of the moderating effects of depression and multimorbidity on the effectiveness of a chronic disease self-management programme. Harrison M, Reeves D, Harkness E, Valderas J, Kennedy A, Rogers A, Hann M, Bower P.

Multimorbidity, service organization and clinical decision making in primary care: a qualitative study. Bower P, Macdonald W, Harkness E, Gask L, Kendrick T, Valderas JM, Dickens C, Blakeman T, Sibbald B. Fam Pract. 2011 May 25

The prevalence of multimorbidity in primary care and its effect on health care utilization and cost. Glynn LG, Valderas JM, Healy P, Burke E, Newell J, Gillespie P, Murphy AW. Fam Pract. 2011 Mar 24

Epidemiology and impact of multimorbidity in primary care: a retrospective cohort study. Salisbury C, Johnson L, Purdy S, Valderas JM, Montgomery AA.Br J Gen Pract. 2011 Jan;61(582):e12-21.

Defining comorbidity: implications for understanding health and health services. Valderas JM, Starfield B, Sibbald B, Salisbury C, Roland M. Ann Fam Med. 2009 Jul-Aug;7(4):357-63.

Identifying psychosocial interventions that improve both physical and mental health in patients with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Harkness E, Macdonald W, Valderas J, Coventry P, Gask L, Bower P. Diabetes Care. 2010 Apr;33(4):926-30