comorbidity
the co-occurrence of two or more disorders in a single individual
Comorbidity refers to the presence of two or more medical conditions or disorders occurring in the same individual at the same time. In other words, it is the co-occurrence of multiple illnesses in a single person. For example, a person with diabetes may also have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, or a person with anxiety disorder may also have depression or substance abuse disorder. Comorbidity can occur in any medical specialty, including mental health, where multiple psychiatric disorders may co-occur. Comorbidities can lead to more complicated medical management and poorer health outcomes, making it important for healthcare professionals to address all the medical conditions an individual may have rather than treating them in isolation.