comorbidity
koh-mor-BID-ih-tee
/ˌkəʊ.mɔːˈbɪd.ə.ti/
The simultaneous presence of two or more medical or psychological conditions in a patient.
Implies that distinct disorders co-exist in an individual, which can complicate treatment plans and diagnosis.
The story behind the word. Coined in 1970 by physician A. R. Feinstein, this modern term combined Latin 'com-' (together) and 'morbidus' (ill) to categorize patients suffering from multiple distinct diseases at once.
Word relationships
- co-occurrence: Broader term meaning happening at the same time, without strict medical focus.
- coexisting condition: Descriptive phrase synonymous with clinical comorbidity.
- singularity: The state of existing alone as a single phenomenon.
Commonly confused with
- mortality: Comorbidity refers to co-occurring diseases, while mortality refers to death rates.
Word family
- comorbid (adjective): Existing simultaneously with another medical or psychological condition.
Collocations
- high comorbidity
- psychiatric comorbidity
- rate of comorbidity
- frequent comorbidity
Example sentences
- "High comorbidity between generalized anxiety disorder and depression often requires combined therapeutic approaches." Clinical Evaluation
- "Epidemiologists studied the comorbidity of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in elderly populations." Public Health Study
Memory hook
CO (together) + MORBID (sick). Being sick with two things TOGETHER. Two medical conditions co-existing.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a single disease that produces multiple different physical symptoms.
Fun facts
- The term was originally created to explain why patients with heart disease had wildly varying outcomes due to secondary illnesses.
Explore more words
concurrent, morbidity, coexistence, concurrence, simultaneous, diagnosis
Also appears in
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