Table 1. Characteristics of Sample.
| Men | Women | ||
| n = 132 | n = 62 | ||
| Average age (M, SD) | Baseline (1993–1995) | 62.8 (0.9) | 62.9 (0.9) |
| First follow up (1997–1998) | 66.8 (0.9) | 66.7 (1.0) | |
| Second follow up (2004–2006) | 74.1 (0.9) | 74.0 (0.9) | |
| Average duration of the current relationship MP 74 years (M, SD) | 46.4 (8.0) | 48.0 (8.0) | |
| Duration of current relationship MP 74 years (n, %) | 21 to under 30 years | 10 (7.6) | 4 (6.5) |
| 30 to under 40 years | 8 (6.1) | 5 (8.1) | |
| 40 to under 50 years | 56 (42.4) | 15 (24.2) | |
| 50 and more years | 58 (43.9) | 38 (61.3) | |
| Number of marriages MP 74 years (n, %) | 1 | 114 (86.4) | 54 (87.1) |
| 2 | 15 (11.4) | 8 (12.9) | |
| 3 | 3 (2.3) | 0 | |
| Average duration of education in years (M, SD) | 14.1 (2.6) | 13.1 (3.1) | |
| Duration of education (n, %) | 8 to 9 years | 3 (2.3) | 11 (17.7) |
| 10 to 15 years | 90 (68.2) | 36 (58.1) | |
| 16 to 18 years | 39 (29.5) | 15 (24.2) | |
| Occupation (n, %) | Higher-grade professionals | 58 (43.9) | 13 (21.0) |
| Lower-grade professionals | 16 (12.1) | 15 (24.2) | |
| Routine non-manual employees | 7 (5.3) | 10 (16.1) | |
| Self-employed, artists | 8 (6.1) | 3 (4.8) | |
| Employed technicians; supervisors | 10 (7.6) | 2 (3.2) | |
| Skilled manual workers | 29 (22.0) | 5 (8.1) | |
| Semi-skilled/unskilled manual workers | 4 (3.0) | 14 (22.6) | |
| Retirement (n, %) | Baseline (1994–1995) | 100 (75.8) | 59 (95.2) |
| First follow up (1997–1998) | 132 (100.0) | 62 (100.0) | |
| Physical health (M, SD)a | Baseline (1994–1995) | 2.3 (0.8) | 2.4 (0.9) |
| First follow up (1997–1998) | 2.5 (0.7) | 2.6 (0.7) | |
| Second follow up (2004–2006) | 2.5 (0.8) | 2.5 (0.7) | |
a
Assessment of physical health by a physician based on the history, physical assessment and blood tests using a six-point-scale: 1 = very good, 2 = good, 3 = satisfactory, 4 = sufficient, 5 = poor, 6 = very poor.
M: mean; SD: standard deviation.