A health researcher is calling for a change over how we treat people with chronic illnesses

An Otago University study has found people with multi-morbidity or multiple chronic illnesses are struggling to cope financially and have a poor quality of life.

It's a problem that's only getting worse with an aging population and more awareness on mental health.

Lead author of the study Jeanine Stairmind says a lot of treatment guidelines are focused on a single disease.

She says it comes unstuck when you stick three or four of those conditions together and different medications interact.