Convergent validity between the multimorbidity indices and relevant constructs*
| Sex | SWLS† | OARS† | Self-rated general health‡ | Self-rated mental health‡ | |
| Index 1—absolute count§ | Women | −0.20 (−0.21 to −0.19) | −0.26 (−0.27 to −0.25) | 0.39 (0.38 to 0.40) | 0.22 (0.21 to 0.23) |
| Men | −0.15 (−0.17 to −0.14) | −0.18 (−0.19 to −0.16) | 0.36 (0.35 to 0.37) | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.20) | |
| Index 2—individual unweighted conditions | Women | −0.24 (−0.25 to −0.23) | −0.30 (−0.31 to −0.29) | 0.45 (0.43 to 0.46) | 0.24 (0.23 to 0.25) |
| Men | −0.18 (−0.20 to −0.17) | −0.21 (−0.23 to −0.20) | 0.40 (0.39 to 0.41) | 0.20 (0.19 to 0.22) | |
| Index 3—weighted LASSO | Women | −0.16 (−0.18 to −0.15) | −0.24 (−0.26 to −0.23) | 0.37 (0.36 to 0.39) | 0.16 (0.15 to 0.17) |
| Men | −0.11 (−0.13 to −0.10) | −0.15 (−0.17 to −0.14) | 0.35 (0.34 to 0.36) | 0.14 (0.12 to 0.15) | |
| Index 4—weighted AIC | Women | −0.24 (−0.25 to −0.23) | −0.30 (−0.31 to −0.28) | 0.44 (0.43 to 0.46) | 0.24 (0.23 to 0.26) |
| Men | −0.18 (−0.20 to −0.17) | −0.21 (−0.22 to −0.19) | 0.40 (0.39 to 0.41) | 0.20 (0.19 to 0.22) | |
| Index 5—weighted BMA | Women | −0.19 (−0.20 to −0.18) | −0.24 (−0.26 to −0.23) | 0.34 (0.33 to 0.35) | 0.20 (0.19 to 0.22) |
| Men | −0.14 (−0.15 to −0.13) | −0.19 (−0.20 to −0.18) | 0.32 (0.3 to 0.33) | 0.16 (0.15 to 0.18) |
*There are many estimates for each measure due to multiple imputation. We report the median estimate, and in parenthesis, the minimum and maximum estimates.
†Lower Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) or Older Americans Resources and Services measure of activities of daily living (OARS) scores represent worse outcomes.
‡Higher self-rated general and mental health represent worse outcomes.
§Index 1 is based on a regression model including the absolute count of chronic conditions as a single independent variable. Index 2 is based on a regression model where each chronic condition was treated as a dichotomous independent variable. Indices 3–5 are based on regression models that began with the same independent variables as those used for index 2, but then involved variable selection using LASSO, stepwise selection based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), or Bayesian model averaging (BMA), respectively.