Multimorbidity and Associated Sociodemographic, Lifestyle, and Sleep-Related Factors in a Convenience Sample of Adults in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet limited evidence exists regarding multimorbidity and its associations with lifestyle and sleep-related factors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 662 adults recruited using convenience sampling from healthcare facilities and public locations in the UAE. The sample was predominantly young, female, and highly educated. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine factors associated with self-reported multimorbidity. Among the total sample, 242/662 (36.6%) reported two or more included conditions; among participants reporting at least one included condition (n = 534), 242 (45.3%) had multimorbidity. In the primary adjusted analysis restricted to these 534 participants, obesity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.86, 95% CI 2.16–6.91), lifetime tobacco exposure (AOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.20–2.96), and sleep disturbance (AOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.05–2.35) were associated with higher odds of multimorbidity. Underweight, overweight, lifetime alcohol exposure, sleep-medication use, and individual daytime-dysfunction categories were not independently associated. These findings describe multimorbidity and associated factors within this convenience sample and should not be interpreted as population-representative estimates for the UAE.