SynthesisSystematic reviews2026
The magnitude of multimorbidity in childhood: a global systematic review.
Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Completion Rates of Food Frequency Questionnaires and Food Records in People with Chronic Conditions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2026Pooled it
- A systematic scoping review and gap analysis of questionnaires to assess multimorbidity among children.Pediatric research · 2026Pooled it
- Chronic Health Conditions and Substance Use Among Canadian Youth: A Nationally Representative Study: Problèmes de santé chroniques et usage de substances chez les jeunes Canadiens : étude représentative à l'échelle nationale.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2026Article
- Do Rural-Urban Disparities Translate into Nursing Complexity at Hospital Admission? Evidence from a Single Tertiary-Care Pediatric Hospital in Italy.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChildhood multimorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, is an emerging yet underexplored global health concern. Unlike adult multimorbidity, which is predominantly linked to ageing, childhood multimorbidity affects critical developmental phases, impacting physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. Despite increasing recognition, its prevalence, correlates, and long-term implications remain inadequately understood.
objectivesThis systematic review aims to synthesize existing evidence on the prevalence, correlates, and outcomes of childhood multimorbidity in the general paediatric population.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL (EBSCO) to identify observational studies published up to May 31, 2024. Studies were included if they reported multimorbidity prevalence among children aged 0-18 years. Owing to high heterogeneity across studies, a meta-analysis was not performed, and the results were synthesized narratively.
resultsNine studies, covering diverse paediatric populations, met the inclusion criteria. The individual study prevalence varied widely, ranging from 1.26% to 17.04%, reflecting differences in chronic conditions, multimorbidity definitions, study designs, and data sources. The key correlates included socioeconomic disadvantage, early-life factors (e.g., preterm birth), and poly-victimization. The co-occurrence of physical and mental health conditions commonly affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL), healthcare utilization, and educational performance.
conclusionsChildhood multimorbidity poses significant health and social challenges, necessitating integrated care approaches and standardized definitions for cross-study comparability. Preventive strategies targeting social determinants and early-life interventions are crucial to mitigate its long-term burden. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore progression and inform targeted interventions. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42024601137.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.