Geographic and racial/ethnic variations in patterns of multimorbidity burden in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Multimorbidity presents a significant public health challenge, but regional, rural/urban, and racial/ethnic differences in patterns of multimorbidity in diabetes are poorly understood.

Objective: To describe patterns of multimorbidity in medical and mental health by regional, rural/urban, and racial/ethnic variation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Design: Retrospective cohort study from 2002 through 2006 PARTICIPANTS: A national cohort of 892,223 veterans with diabetes

Main Measures: Multimorbidity was the main outcome defined as: the measure of multimorbidity and two categorical outcomes, with pattern of medical and mental health comorbidities combined and separately.