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Table 1 Characteristics of the analysis sample, Reykjavik Study (1967–1992) and Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility Study (2002–2006)

From: Socioeconomic factors from midlife predict mobility limitation and depressed mood three decades later; Findings from the AGES-Reykjavik Study

 

Men (N = 2068)

Women (N = 2741)

P-valuea

 

Total

Primary education N = 456 22.1%

Secondary education N = 1055 51.0%

College/ University

N = 557 26.9%

p-valueaeducation

Total

Primary education N = 1145 41.8%

Secondary education N = 1277 46.6%

College/ University

N = 319 11.6%

p-valueaeducation

men vs women P < 0.001

Midlife factors

Age, Mean (SD)

47.5(7.1)

47.1

46.6

46.6

0.367

48.1 (7.2)

48.8

47.4

48.8

0.567

<0.001 b

≥1 chronic diseases c (%)

29.6

29.8

30.4

27.8

0.550

24.8

27.5

22.9

22.9

0.024

<0.001

Married/living together (%)

89.9

87.2

91.0

90.4

0.126

83.8

83.4

84.7

81.6

0.524

<0.001

Occupation (%)

 Homemaker/miscellaneous

4.2

8.1

3.9

1.6

<0.001

74.1

80.4

72.7

57.1

<0.001

<0.001

 Manual

38.2

58.6

46.6

5.4

3.7

6.6

2.0

0.3

  

 Services

30.6

22.1

36.2

26.8

17.3

12.2

21.1

20.1

  

 Professional

27.1

11.2

13.3

66.2

4.9

0.8

4.2

22.6

  

Did not own house (%)

10.8

13.8

10.2

9.5

0.061

11.1

14.2

8.8

8.5

<0.001

0.807

Did not personally own car (%)

13.1

21.3

11.2

10.1

<0.001

30.2

37.1

26.2

21.3

<0.001

<0.001

Housing features d

 Lack of 2–6 features

3.7

8.1

3.1

1.1

<0.001

2.9

5.6

1.1

0.6

<0.001

0.265

 Lack of 1 feature

44.3

53.1

45.0

35.9

 

45.7

53.3

42.2

32.6

  

 Possesses all features

52.0

38.8

51.8

63.0

 

51.4

41.1

56.7

66.8

  

Early life circumstances (from AGES-Reykjavik)

Not enough to eat (%)

5.2

8.8

4.7

3.2

0.001

2.8

4.3

2.0

0.9

0.001

<0.001

Old age outcome measures

Mobility limitations e (%)

26.8

31.1

28.2

20.6

<0.001

39.5

43.8

37.7

32.0

<0.001

<0.001

Indication of depressed mood (%)

11.0

14.7

11.4

7.2

<0.001

12.8

14.8

12.3

7.2

0.001

0.058

  1. a Based on Chi-square tests for categorical variables and t-tests or ANOVA based F-tests for continuous variables; b This difference reflects the fact that women were recruited later; c Number of the following self-reported diseases at baseline: Diabetes, angina pectoris, disease of the heart valves, coronary thrombosis, another heart disease, disease of the lungs, disease of the kidneys, disease of the thyroid, disease of the stomach/intestines, arthritis, glaucoma, cancer, asthma or COPD, and tuberculosis; d Housing features include: central heating, water closet, bathtub, shower, piped cold water, and piped hot water; e Mobility limitation was considered to be present when a person reported any difficulty walking 500 meters or climbing 10 steps.