JMIR public health and surveillance
Temporal Patterns of Multimorbidity Progression Among Inpatients With a Recorded Hypertension Diagnosis Across Three Counties in Rural Henan, China: Retrospective Cohort Study Using Temporal Network Analysis
By Wang Y, Mao Y, Wang X and 3 others.
Abstract
Background
Hypertension is a key driver of multimorbidity; however, its role in shaping dynamic disease progression, especially in rural populations, remains underexplored.
Objective
This study aimed to characterize temporal patterns of multimorbidity progression among inpatients with a recorded hypertension diagnosis and to examine whether these patterns differed by sex, age, insurance type, and county.
Methods
We analyzed electronic health record data from 34,099 inpatients with a recorded hypertension diagnosis across 3 rural counties in Henan, China (2019-2023), constructing a temporal comorbidity network of 250 disease nodes and 1512 disease transitions. Statistical validation was performed using bootstrap resampling, case-dropping, and permutation tests. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex, age, insurance type, and county.