WordValecomorbidity
an additional disease occurring alongside a primary one
In more detail
1. (noun) the presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions occurring together in the same person at the same time
2. (noun) in research, the co-occurrence of different conditions or disorders in the same individual or population
Examples
- 1. Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities in patients with chronic pain.
- 2. The study examined comorbidity between diabetes and heart disease.
How to use comorbidity
Comorbidity is used in medical and epidemiological contexts to describe when a person has multiple diagnosed conditions at the same time. It is a technical term used in clinical practice, research, and health policy to understand disease patterns and patient outcomes. The term is more precise and academic than everyday language like 'having multiple illnesses.'
Common phrases
- comorbidity between X and Y
- comorbid conditions
- comorbidity rates
- assess comorbidity
- comorbidity index
Synonyms
co-occurrence · concurrent illness · simultaneous disease · coexisting condition
Word family
comorbid (adjective) · comorbidities (plural noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse comorbidity with complications, which are conditions that develop as a result of another disease, whereas comorbidities are conditions that exist independently and simultaneously.
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