Table 1. Descriptive statistics of the study sample.
| Variable | Valid N | (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological distress score (mean score) | 9.54 | (±4.10) | |
| Hunger | |||
| Never/rarely (No food insecurity) | 773 | (64.4) | |
| Sometimes (Moderate food insecurity) | 321 | (26.8) | |
| Most of the time/always (Severe food insecurity) | 106 | (8.8) | |
| Age (in years) (mean score) | 66.15 | (±11.85) | |
| Women | 759 | (63.3) | |
| Rural residence | 540 | (45.0) | |
| Married | 521 | (43.4) | |
| Household size (mean score) | 6.47 | (±5.25) | |
| Employed | 533 | (44.4) | |
| Income (in Ghana Cedis) (mean score) | 308.18 | (±338.89) | |
| Level of education | |||
| Primary/none | 1034 | (86.2) | |
| Secondary | 104 | (8.7) | |
| Higher | 62 | (5.2) | |
| Social support (mean score) | 6.10 | (±2.68) | |
| Alcohol intake | 377 | (31.4) | |
| Physical activity (mean score) | 8.75 | (±4.43) | |
| Self-assessed health | |||
| Very good | 239 | (19.9) | |
| Good | 369 | (30.8) | |
| Fair | 348 | (29.0) | |
| Poor | 244 | (20.3) | |
| Diagnosed of chronic conditions | 636 | (53.0) | |
| Functionally impaired (mean score) | 13.70 | (±5.09) | |
The 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to quantify non-specific psychological disorders [20]