Table 3 Key features of included papers ordered alphabetically and chronologically within studies

Aebi, 2021 [35]

Switzerland

To investigate mental-somatic multimorbidity in hospital settings.

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Three general hospitals

HCPs

18

Not diagnosis specific

2 papers based on one study

Andersen, 2018 [36]

Denmark

Not explicitly stated, but to explore professional collaboration regarding patient pathways from EMU for elderly people with multiple chronic illnesses

EthnographyTime period not stated

Observation

Cross-sectoral: regional (secondary care emergency units), municipalities (community care, public health), primary care

Patients; HCPs

10 patients; unclear how many HCPs were observed

Not diagnosis specific

68–89 (mean = 78.5)

Andersen, 2019 [37]

To explore intersectoral collaboration and the creation of patient pathways for elderly people (65 +) with multiple chronic conditions, from emergency unit to home (or other care facility)

Backman, 2018 [38]

Canada

To explore experiences of transitions across health care settings.

Participatory visual narrative

Cross-sectional

Photo walkabout interviews

Patients, informal caregivers

9

Not diagnosis specific

56–94

Bartlett, 2012 [39]

UK

To understand: how healthcare professionals assess the needs of an older person dying from cancer

with a coincidental dementia, whether older people with cancer and dementia have differing care needs from those who do not have dementia, how healthcare professionals communicate with an older person dying from cancer

with a coincidental dementia

Guided by Colaizzi’s phenomenological method

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Acute hospital

HCPs and a chaplain

5

Cancer and dementia

Ben-Menahem, 2021 [40]

Switzerland

To understand and develop a framework for care providers’ perceptions of complexity

Phenomenology / IPA

Cross-sectional

Interviews

HIV outpatient care

HCPs

31

HIV and other morbidities

3 papers based on one study

Bosire, 2021 [41]

South Africa

To explore patients’ experiences of accessing healthcare for comorbid HIV/AIDS and diabetes

EthnographyApr 2018–Jun 2019

ObservationInterviews

Public tertiary hospital

Patients

15

HIV and diabetes

40–70

Bosire, 2021 [42]

To explore how the health system functions to care for patients with comorbid type 2 diabetes and HIV/AIDS at a tertiary hospital

HCPs

30

Bosire, 2021 [43]

To explore provider perspectives on person-centred care for people with HIV and comorbid diabetes

HCPs

30

Bunn, 2017 [44]

UK

To explore the impact of dementia on access to non-dementia services and identify ways of improving service delivery for this population

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews and focus groups

Primary and secondary care

Patients, Informal caregivers, HCPs

117 (28 patients, 33 informal caregivers, 56 HCPs)

Dementia and other morbidities

59–94 (median = 82.5)

Carusone, 2017 [45]

Canada

To explore the obstacles and challenges faced by complex patients during hospital discharge and post-discharge transition

Case study

Repeated interviews around 6 weeks

13-bed subacute hospital

Patients

9

HIV and other morbidities

23–54

Cho, 2021 [46]

USA

To assess HCPs’ expectations of diabetes management during cancer treatment and to identify possible communication barriers between primary and secondary care

Grounded theory

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Three hospitals

HCPs

10 oncologists

Cancer and type 2 diabetes

Cook, 2018 [47]

Australia

To examine how HCPs working in a cancer service undertake treatment decision-making and recommendations and how this is affected by medical and social judgements

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Large cancer care service

HCPs

9

Cancer and dementia

Cullinan, 2015 [48]

Ireland

To identify hospital doctors’ perceptions as to why potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) occurs, to identify barriers to addressing PIP and to determine which intervention types would improve prescribing

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Public and voluntary hospitals

HCPs

22

Not diagnosis specific

Doos, 2015 [49]

UK

To identify issues regarding management of type 2 diabetes in patients with cancer

Grounded theory

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Two cardiology and respiratory wards

Patients, Informal caregivers

11 (6 patients, 5 caregivers)

Heart failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Patients: 62–91

Duthie, 2017 [50]

Canada

To explore cancer patients’ experience with multimodal treatments, complex healthcare needs and navigating the healthcare system

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Cancer centre in university hospital

Patients

10

Cancer and other morbidities

52–79

Ekdahl, 2012 [51]

Sweden

To explore physicians’ perceptions and experiences of including elderly patients with multimorbidity in clinical decision-making

Grounded theory

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

Three hospitals in two counties

HCPs

30

Not diagnosis specific

Fabricius, 2021 [52]

Denmark

To explore the determinants of patient involvement in decisions made in the ED about the patient’s medication

Ethnography

5 months

Interviews

Observations

Two medical emergency departments in a university hospital

HCPs

48 (observation)

20 (interviews}

Not diagnosis specific

Gallagher, 2015 [53]

Australia

To identify which older people emergency nurses perceive as using more nursing resources

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

Tertiary referral university hospital emergency department

HCPs

27

Not diagnosis specific

Goebel, 2016 [54]

USA

To identify issues regarding management of type 2 diabetes in patients with cancer

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

Two outpatient cancer centres

Patients, HCPs

25 (5 patients, 20 HCPs)

Cancer and diabetes

Patients: mean = 59.4

5 papers based on one study

Griffiths, 2020 [55]

UK

To explore cancer treatment decision-making in comorbid cancer and dementia

Ethnography

Sep 2018 to

May 2019

46 h of participant observations

9 h of non-participant observations

37 interviews

Medical notes review

Informal conversations

Two English Trusts which provide local cancer services and more specialist regional provision

Patients; Healthcare professionals (HCPs); Informal caregivers

58

(17 patients, 22 relatives, 19 staff)

Cancer and dementia

45–88 (mean = 75)

Surr, 2020 [56]

To explore the role of supportive networks in assisting and enabling people with comorbid cancer and dementia to receive hospital-based cancer treatment and care

Ashley, 2021 [57]

To examine the hospital-based cancer care and treatment challenges and support needs of people with dementia

Griffiths, 2021 [58]

To understand how oncology services balance the needs of patients who have cancer and dementia

Surr, 2021 [59]

To explore the challenges of navigating cancer treatment and care for people with comorbid cancer and dementia, their family members and oncology staff

Hansson, 2018 [60]

Sweden

To describe the experiences of healthcare professionals of the obstacles and opportunities for collaboration with patients and their relatives and between providers of care

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

Hospital in Sweden and affiliated community and primary care facilities

HCPs

24

Not diagnosis specific

Hultsjö, 2013 [61]

Sweden

To explore mental healthcare staff’s experiences of diabetes care given to people with psychosis

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Psychiatric outpatients

HCPs

12

Psychosis and diabetes

Huque, 2020 [62]

Bangladesh

To explore the experiences of people living with comorbid depression and tuberculosis of hospital care

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

119-bed chest hospital

Patients, Informal caregivers, HCPs

23 (12 patients, 4 informal caregivers, 4 HCPs, 3 policymakers)

TB and depression

18–51 + 

Jayakody, 2021 [63]

Australia

To explore the experiences and perceptions of unplanned hospital readmissions from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with multiple chronic disease

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Two tertiary hospitals

Patients

15

Multiple chronic diseases including CVD, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, cancer, renal disease, osteoporosis, mental health conditions

37–83 (median 68)

3 papers based on one study

Kuluski, 2013 [64]

Canada

To investigate what is important in care delivery from the perspective of hospital inpatients with complex chronic disease

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Open-ended question data

Continuing care hospital

Patients

116 total (not all contributed to each aspect of the study)

Range of health conditions, most common were musculoskeletal conditions followed by stroke and multiple sclerosis

 < 44 (n = 13; 12%)

45–64 (n = 52; 47%)

65 + (n = 46; 41%)

 <  = 44 to 65 + 

Ho, 2015 [65]

To better understand the discharge experience of people with multiple chronic diseases

Kuluski, 2015 [66]

To explore factors that may serve as tipping points into poor health from the perspective of hospitalised patients with multimorbidity

2 papers based on one study

Kumlin, 2020 [67]

Norway

To explore how elderly patients with complex health problems engage in and interact with their care trajectory across different healthcare systems

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

One rural hospital, one urban hospital, six municipalities

Patients

HCPs

11

25

Not diagnosis specific

65–91

Kumlin, 2021 [68]

To uncover the work that HCPs undertake to achieve coherent and comprehensive care for elderly patients with multiple health problems

Lekas, 2012 [69]

USA

To examine the reasons underlying the low rate of HCV treatment among HIV + patients

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Two urban hospitals

HCPs

17

HIV/ HCV (hepatitis C virus

Lilleheie, 2020 [70]

Norway

To explore older patients’ subjective experiences of quality of health services in and after hospital

Phenomenology/ IPA

Repeated interviews (n = 2) during and 30 days after hospitalisation

Acute geriatric ward

Patients

22 (18 retained in the study)

Not diagnosis specific

82–100 (mean = 92)

2 papers based on one study

Lo, 2016 [71]

Australia

To explore the perspectives of patients and carers on factors influencing healthcare of people with comorbid diabetes and CKD

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews & focus groups

Four tertiary health services in two large Australian cities

Patients and informal caregivers

HCPs

58 patients

8 informal caregivers

65

Diabetes and CKD

41–90 (majority aged 61–70)

Lo, 2016 [72]

To explore the perspectives of general practitioners and tertiary health-care professionals concerning key factors influencing health-care of diabetes and CKD

Malley, 2018 [73]

USA

To describe the preoperative care transitions experience of older adults with multiple chronic conditions and their relatives and to examine preoperative engagement and their reflections postoperatively

Generic qualitative

Repeated interviews (2 in around 4 weeks)

975-bed medical centre

Patients, informal caregivers

16 (11 patients, 5 relatives

Not diagnosis specific

median = 81

Martin, 2022 [74]

UK

To explore the role of family caregivers in making cancer treatment decisions for older women with pre-existing dementia and breast cancer, particularly the decision between surgery and non-surgical treatment

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

13 breast cancer services

Informal caregivers

8

Dementia and breast cancer

Mason, 2016 [75]

UK

To report the experiences and perceptions of people with advanced multimorbidity to inform improvements in palliative and end-of-life care

Generic qualitative

Repeated interviews over 5–9 months

Acute admissions unit in Scotland, English general practice, respiratory outpatient clinic

Patients, informal caregivers

87 interviews (42 patient alone, 2 informal caregivers alone, 43 patient-caregiver dyad)

Not diagnosis specific

55–92 average = 76

2 papers based on one study

McWilliams, 2018 [76]

UK

To explore cancer-related information needs and decision-making experiences of patients with cancer and comorbid dementia, their caregivers and oncology HCPs

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Regional tertiary care cancer centre

Patients; HCPs; Informal caregivers

Patients; Informal caregivers

31 (10 patients, 9 informal caregivers, 12 HCPs)

19 (10 patients, 9 informal caregivers)

Cancer and dementia

39–93

McWilliams, 2020 [77]

To explore decision-making and treatment options for people who live with dementia and cancer

Mikkelsen, 2020 [78]

Denmark

To describe psychiatric nurses’ and diabetes nurses’ experiences of care with hospitalised patients with schizophrenia and diabetes

Phenomenology/ IPA

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Endocrinology ward and psychiatric ward

HCPs

8

Schizophrenia and diabetes

Neiterman, 2015 [79]

Canada

To examine how patients (with multiple chronic health conditions) experience transitions to community from hospitals

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Patients

Informal caregivers

36 (17 patients, 19 informal caregivers)

Range of conditions

70–89 (average 79)

2 papers based on one study

Nikbakht Nasrabadi, 2021 [80]

Iran

To explore nurses’ experiences of transitional care in multiple chronic conditions

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

University hospitals in two large cities

HCPs

15

Diabetes and other morbidities

Nikbakht Nasrabadi, 2021 [81]

To explore family caregivers’ experiences of transitional care in diabetes with concurrent chronic conditions

Informal caregivers

15

Perrault-Sequeira, 2021 [82]

Canada

To identify and explore the networks of care providers in a sample of hospitalised complex patients and better understand the nature of their attachment to these providers

Grounded theory

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Patients

30

Not diagnosis specific

Mean age 69.5

Rivers, 2020 [83]

UK

To understand the mindset of doctors and pharmacists as they embark upon prescribing in a multimorbidity and polypharmacy context during routine practice at a hospital acute admissions unit and to evaluate to what extent attitudes relate to existing theory and models of prescribing decisions

Phenomenologically oriented

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

HCPs

48

Not diagnosis specific

Schiøtz, 2017 [84]

Denmark

To investigate quality of care for people with multimorbidity

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

University hospital

HCPs

18

Range of cardiometabolic conditions, depression and COPD

Schonfeld, 2012 [85]

USA

To explore physicians’ experiences in conducting end-of-life conversations with elderly patients with comorbidities

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Focus groups

HCPs

32

Not diagnosis specific

Verhoeff, 2018 [86]

The Netherlands

To investigate patients’ experiences, beliefs and understandings of the current secondary care of patients with multiple chronic conditions

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Internal medicine and geriatric outpatients department

Patients

8

Not diagnosis specific

67–92 (median 71.5)

Witham, 2018 [87]

UK

To explore the experience of carers who have supported a relative with cancer and dementia using a narrative approach

Narrative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Regional cancer treatment centre

Informal caregivers

7

Cancer and dementia

Younas, 2022 [88]

Pakistan

To determine nurses’ perceived barriers to the delivery of person-centred care to complex patients with multiple chronic conditions in acute care settings

Generic qualitative

Cross-sectional

Interviews

Two hospitals

HCPs

19

Not diagnosis specific