Table 2.
Characteristics of the sample stratified by perceived level of social support (N = 674)
| Characteristic | Total (N = 674) N (%) | High Social Support N (Col %) Total N = 152 (22.5%) | Low Social Support N (Col %) Total N = 522 (77.5%) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographics | ||||
| Age, mean (±SD) | 66.2 (+/− 9.0) | 65.9 (+/− 8.8) | 66.2 (+/− 9.0) | P = .71 |
| 55–59 (%) | 163 (24.2) | 38 (25.0) | 125 (24.0) | P = .80 |
| 60–64 | 228 (33.8) | 55 (36.2) | 173 (33.1) | |
| 65–74 | 160 (23.7) | 32 (21.1) | 128 (24.5) | |
| 75+ | 123 (18.3) | 27 (17.8) | 96 (18.4) | |
| Female Sex | 294 (43.8) | 78 (51.7) | 216 (41.5) | P = .03 |
| Income < =$20,000, annually | 583 (88.6) | 125 (85.0) | 458 (89.6) | P = .12 |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||||
| Black/African-American, Non-Latino | 167 (24.8) | 37 (24.3) | 130 (24.9) | P < .01 |
| White, Non-Latino | 127 (18.8) | 15 (9.9) | 112 (21.5) | |
| Latino/Hispanic | 130 (19.3) | 54 (35.5) | 76 (14.6) | |
| Asian | 215 (31.9) | 38 (25.0) | 177 (33.9) | |
| Education > 12 yrs | 224 (33.2) | 54 (35.5) | 170 (32.6) | P = .50 |
| Limited English Proficiency (LEP) | 251 (37.2) | 64 (42.1) | 187 (35.8) | P = .16 |
| Inadequate health literacy* | 425 (62.7) | 63 (63.6) | 362 (65.5) | P = .83 |
| Health-related behaviors | ||||
| Current Smoker | 139 (37.9) | 22 (28.6) | 117 (40.3) | P = .06 |
| WHO-ASSIST alcohol moderate-high risk | 56 (8.0) | 10 (9.8) | 46 (7.71) | P = .47 |
| Illicit drug use in last 3 months | 42 (6.2) | 3 (1.2) | 39 (7.5) | P = .01 |
| Health status and hospitalization factors | ||||
| Depression on admission (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) | 189 (28.0) | 30 (19.7) | 159 (30.5) | P = .01 |
| Cognitive impairment on admission (M-TICS Score < 20) | 355 (52.7) | 72 (47.4) | 283 (54.2) | P = .14 |
| Number of ADL Disabilities 2 weeks prior to admission | ||||
| No ADL disability | 482 (71.5) | 115 (75.6) | 367 (76.1) | P = .18 |
| 1+ ADL disabilities | 192 (28.5) | 37 (24.3) | 155 (29.7) | |
| Hospitalized in past 6 months | 121 (18.1) | 24 (15.8) | 97 (18.8) | P = .05 |
| Charlson Category | ||||
| 0 | 92 (13.7) | 23 (15.1) | 69 (13.2) | P < .01 |
| 1–2 | 340 (50.5) | 76 (50.0) | 264 (50.1) | |
| 3–4 | 203 (30.1) | 47 (30.9) | 156 (29.9) | |
| ≥ 5 | 39 (5.8) | 6 (4.0) | 33 (6.3) | |
| Living situation | ||||
| Live alone or in shelter | 238 (35.4) | 39 (25.6) | 199 (38.2) | P < .01 |
| Live with spouse | 388 (57.7) | 84 (55.3) | 304 (58.4) | P = .49 |
*Inadequate health literacy defined by self-report 3-item score ≥ 9
Abbreviations: WHO-ASSIST – World Health Organization – Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test; PHQ- Patient Health Questionnaire, M-TICS –Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, ADL- Activities of Daily Living