MULTIMORBIDITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION OF WIDOWHOOD, RACE, AND ETHNICITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Living with chronic disease is common in later life and over 60% of adults 65+ have two or more conditions. Spousal loss, also late adulthood, linked to diseases, like heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, strokes. This study examines the associations between widowhood, race/ethnicity, onset multiple conditions (i.e., cancer, diabetes, stroke) among 4,187 Americans aged 60+. Using RAND HRS Longitudinal File 2018, we analyzed how married/partnered without major 2010 experienced widowhood developed and/or during subsequent eight years. We used ordinal logistic regressions examine marital status, multimorbidity onset, controlling for age, gender, birthplace, living conditions, income, education, smoking habits, physical activities, self-reported BMI, Medicaid enrollment. Among participants, 69.41% were non-Hispanic White, 13.04% Black, 14.19% Hispanic (any race), 3.37% other. The mean age was 70.33 years, than half (54.79%) female, 83.85% married partnered 2018. Older widowed group likely be White women habits nor multimorbidity. at follow-up elevated divorced separated non-White/Hispanic participants (OR = 1.83, 95%, CI 0.896, 3.744) unlike non-White individuals 0.71, 0.433, 1.152). Age, previous behavior, birth South all significantly associated increased risk (p<0.017). association health outcomes may vary by race ethnicity.