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Objective: To assess the quality of Australian clinical guidelines for chronic diseases and their relevance to older people with multiple comorbid conditions.

Design: Selection and assessment of national clinical guidelines for chronic conditions listed as National Health Priority Areas: cardiovascular health, diabetes mellitus, mental health, asthma, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, and cancer.

Main outcome measures: Standardised mean scores obtained with the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument (criteria grouped into six domains: scope and purpose; stakeholder involvement; rigour of development; clarity and presentation; applicability; and editorial independence). Relevance of guidelines for older people with multiple comorbid conditions.

Results: 17 guidelines were included in the study. Guidelines approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council …