Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics, health status and use of health services among Brazilian older adults (PNAD - 1998, 2003 and 2008)

Gender: Female

55.6

56.0

56.1

0.274

60-69

57.3

55.5

55.4

<0.001

70-79

30.7

32.1

31.0

80+

12.0

12.3

13.5

Illiterate

41.5

37.2

32.8

<0.001

1 to 3

22.2

21.2

19.7

4 or more

36.7

41.6

47.5

Self-declared skin colour: white

61.0

59.2

55.6

<0.001

First

42.1

45.3

43.5

<0.001

Second

19.6

21.5

24.2

Third

38.8

33.1

32.1

Household Composition: live alone

11.9

13.0

14.0

<0.001

Diabetes

10.3

13.0

16.0

<0.001

Hypertension

44.1

49.0

53.4

<0.001

One or more self-reported chronic disease^a

69.2

60.3

58.2

<0.001

None

27.8

21.8

18.7

<0.001

1-3

39.1

38.3

39.4

4 or more

33.1

39.8

41.9

One or more hospitalizations in the last 12 months

13.7

12.7

12.3

<0.001