LAUSR

Key Points Question Do patients seen in community health centers accumulate chronic diseases early in midlife, and do they accumulate complex patterns of chronic disease? Findings In this cohort study of 725 107 patients, those seeking care in safety-net clinics had high and increasing levels of chronic disease and patterns of disease most frequently characterized by cardiometabolic disease (particularly for adults in racial and ethnic minoritized groups) and mental health conditions (particularly for non-Hispanic White adults). Meaning This study suggests that patients seeking care in safety-net clinics are accruing chronic diseases at high rates in middle age, indicating a need for earlier and improved chronic disease prevention efforts.