Diabetes, Hypertension Coexistence, Multimorbidity and Functional Health Among Jamaicans: Evidence from the 2023 Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a major non-communicable disease in Jamaica and frequently coexists with hypertension, multimorbidity, and functional limitation. This study examined sociodemographic characteristics, hypertension coexistence, additional chronic conditions, and functional health among Jamaicans reporting diabetes in the 2023 Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC).Methods: A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using JSLC 2023 data made available through the SALISES Documentation and Data Centre, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica. The national JSLC comprised 4,442 individuals from 1,719 households, while the supplied analytical file contained 322 respondents selected by the diabetes filter A24_B≤2. Frequencies, cross-tabulations, Pearson chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests where appropriate, and Cramer's V were examined. Results: Women constituted 64.6% of the analytical population, and 65.6% were aged 60 years or older. Hypertension was reported by 70.5%, arthritis by 27.3%, heart disease by 7.8%, kidney disease by 3.4%, and cancer by 4.0%. Overall, 70.5% met the combined hypertension-diabetes indicator, with a significantly higher proportion among women than men (75.0% vs 62.3%; P=.017). Functional difficulty affected 53.6%, including 34.6% reporting either much difficulty or inability to perform the relevant function. Functional limitation and hypertension-diabetes coexistence increased markedly with age. Conclusions: Diabetes in this Jamaican analytical population was embedded within ageing, hypertension, multimorbidity, and substantial functional impairment. Findings support integrated cardiometabolic and functional-health management rather than isolated diabetes care, particularly for older adults and women, and persons experiencing coexisting arthritis or severe functional limitations. Unweighted filtered estimates should not be interpreted as national prevalence for Jamaica.