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Table 4 Characteristics, stratified by loneliness, social exclusion and network size

From: The association of multimorbidity, loneliness, social exclusion and network size: findings from the population-based German Ageing Survey

 

Loneliness

p-value

Social exclusion

p-value

Network size

p-value

 

Below median split (n = 3784)

Above median split (n = 3940)

 

Below median split (n = 4285)

Above median split (n = 3439)

 

Below median split (n = 4328)

Above median split (n = 3396)

 
 

N/Mean (%/SD)

N/Mean (%/SD)

 

N/Mean (%/SD)

N/Mean (%/SD)

 

N/Mean (%/SD)

N/Mean (%/SD)

 

Gender: Female

2073 (54.78)

1863 (47.28)

p < 0.001

2134 (49.80)

1802 (52.40)

p = 0.02

2101 (48.54)

1835 (54.03)

p < 0.001

Age in years

64.91 (0.18)

63.94 (0.18)

p < 0.001

64.07 (0.17)

64.84 (0.19)

p < 0.01

65.48 (0.17)

63.06 (0.19)

p < 0.001

Marital status: Married, living together with spouse

2760 (73.05)

2635 (67.05)

p < 0.001

3103 (72.50)

2292 (66.68)

p < 0.001

2841 (65.76)

2554 (75.38)

p < 0.001

Married, living separated from spouse

54 (1.43)

74 (1.88)

 

71 (1.66)

57 (1.66)

 

80 (1.85)

48 (1.42)

 

Divorced

302 (7.99)

470 (11.96)

 

380 (8.88)

392 (11.44)

 

466 (10.79)

306 (9.03)

 

Widowed

432 (11.43)

426 (10.84)

 

445 (10.40)

413 (12.05)

 

582 (13.47)

276 (8.15)

 

Single

230 (6.09)

325 (8.27)

 

281 (6.57)

274 (7.99)

 

351 (8.13)

204 (6.02)

 

Monthly net equivalent income in Euro

2069.33 (26.20)

1831.63 (19.31)

p < 0.001

2134.13 (24.63)

1717.24 (19.00)

p < 0.001

1837.00 (19.77)

2088.24 (26.75)

p < 0.001

Body-Mass-Index

26.63 (0.07)

27.17 (0.08)

p < 0.001

26.68 (0.07)

27.18 (0.08)

p < 0.001

27.05 (0.07)

26.71 (0.08)

p < 0.01

Current smoking status: Daily

446 (11.87)

617 (15.81)

p < 0.001

545 (12.82)

518 (15.20)

p < 0.001

625 (14.58)

438 (12.99)

p = 0.17

Yes, sometimes

163 (4.34)

143 (3.66)

 

200 (4.70)

106 (3.11)

 

163 (3.80)

143 (4.24)

 

No, not anymore

1346 (35.82)

1498 (38.39)

 

1571 (36.95)

1273 (37.35)

 

1571 (36.65)

1273 (37.74)

 

No, never

1803 (47.98)

1644 (42.13)

 

1936 (45.53)

1511 (44.34)

 

1928 (44.97)

1519 (45.03)

 

Alcohol consumption; Daily

449 (12.01)

468 (12.04)

p < 0.01

556 (13.13)

361 (10.64)

p < 0.001

522 (12.23)

395 (11.77)

p < 0.001

Several times a week

960 (25.68)

897 (23.08)

 

1136 (26.84)

721 (21.26)

 

956 (22.40)

901 (26.84)

 

Once a week

599 (16.02)

626 (16.10)

 

726 (17.15)

499 (14.71)

 

644 (15.09)

581 (17.31)

 

One to three times per month

474 (12.68)

455 (11.71)

 

505 (11.93)

424 (12.50)

 

489 (11.46)

440 (13.11)

 

Less frequently

882 (23.60)

955 (24.57)

 

918 (21.69)

919 (27.09)

 

1086 (25.45)

751 (22.37)

 

Never

374 (10.01)

486 (12.50)

 

392 (9.26)

468 (13.80)

 

571 (13.38)

289 (8.61)

 

Physical activity: Daily

1248 (33.71)

1206 (31.38)

p < 0.01

1424 (33.90)

1030 (30.79)

p < 0.001

1297 (30.71)

1157 (34.84)

p < 0.001

Several times a week

1515 (40.92)

1524 (39.66)

 

1696 (40.38)

1343 (40.15)

 

1631 (38.61)

1408 (42.40)

 

Once a week

278 (7.51)

290 (7.55)

 

325 (7.74)

243 (7.26)

 

347 (8.21)

221 (6.65)

 

One to three times per month

259 (7.00)

332 (8.64)

 

310 (7.38)

281 (8.40)

 

332 (7.86)

259 (7.80)

 

Less frequently

284 (7.67)

349 (9.08

 

333 (7.93)

300 (8.97)

 

416 (9.85)

217 (6.53)

 

Never

118 (3.19)

142 (3.70)

 

112 (2.67)

148 (4.42)

 

201 (4.76)

59 (1.78)

 

Depressive symptoms

5.10 (0.08)

8.10 (0.10)

p < 0.001

5.22 (0.08)

8.40 (0.11)

p < 0.001

6.89 (0.09)

6.30 (0.10)

p < 0.001

Loneliness

1.33 (0.00)

2.21 (0.01)

p < 0.001

1.57 (0.01)

2.04 (0.01)

p < 0.001

1.82 (0.01)

1.72 (0.01)

p < 0.001

Social exclusion

2.35 (0.01)

2.84 (0.01)

p < 0.001

2.16 (0.00)

3.15 (0.01)

p < 0.001

2.64 (0.01)

2.55 (0.01)

p < 0.001

Number of important people in regular contact

5.46 (0.04)

5.02 (0.04)

p < 0.001

5.36 (0.04)

5.07 (0.05)

p < 0.001

3.18 (0.02)

7.85 (0.02)

p < 0.001

Number of physical illnesses

2.32 (0.03)

2.86 (0.03)

p < 0.001

2.29 (0.03)

2.98 (0.03)

p < 0.001

2.65 (0.03)

2.52 (0.03)

p < 0.01

  1. Notes: The loneliness and social exclusion scores as well as network size were dichotomized with a median split. Median Loneliness = 1.833; Median Social exclusion = 2.5; Median Network size = 5; Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld short scales for loneliness [34] with higher scores indicating greater feelings of loneliness; Perceived social exclusion was measured with a scale developed by Bude and Lantermann [16] with higher values reflecting a stronger perceived social exclusion; Number of important people in regular contact ranged from 0 to 9; Depressive symptoms were assessed using the German 15 item version of the CES-D [46]; Marital status included being married and living together with spouse; married and living separated from spouse; divorced; widowed and single; Smoking status: ranging from 1 = ‘daily’ to 4 = ‘never been a smoker’; Alcohol consumption: ranging from 1 = ‘daily’ to 6 = ‘never; Physical activity: ranging from 1 = ‘daily’ to 6 = ‘never’
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BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

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