Table 1.
Sociodemographic and health characteristics of the study sample at observation onset.
| Variable | Total (n = 942) | Socially isolated individuals*(n = 304) | Socially integrated individuals* (n = 638) | p-Value | Effect size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, M (SD) | 86.37 (2.98) | 86.90 (3.06) | 86.12 (2.90) | <.001 | d = 0.26 |
| Sex, n (%) | |||||
| Female | 642 (68.2) | 218 (71.7) | 424 (66.5) | .106 | |
| Male | 300 (31.8) | 86 (28.3) | 214 (33.5) | ||
| High education, n (%) | 125 (13.3) | 36 (11.8) | 89 (13.9) | .373 | |
| Social network size (LSNS-6), M (SD) | 14.32 (5.58) | 8.07 (2.73) | 17.30 (3.86) | <.001 | d = −2.76 |
| Married/in partnership, n (%) | 280 (29.8) | 65 (21.5) | 215 (33.7) | <.001 | Φ = 0.13 |
| Living alone, n (%) | 497 (52.8) | 319 (50.0) | 178 (58.6) | .014 | Φ = 0.08 |
| Cognitive function (MMSE), M (SD) | 27.97 (1.72) | 27.66 (1.87) | 28.12 (1.62) | <.001 | d = −0.26 |
| History of, n (%) | |||||
| Stroke | 42 (5.8) | 14 (6.0) | 28 (5.7) | .901 | |
| Diabetes mellitus | 197 (27.4) | 68 (28.9) | 129 (26.5) | .520 | |
| Hypertension | 618 (84.7) | 199 (84.3) | 417 (84.9) | .831 | |
| Mobility impairment, n (%) | 538 (57.1) | 202 (66.4) | 336 (52.7) | <.001 | Φ = 0.13 |
| Hearing impairment, n (%) | 456 (48.4) | 150 (49.3) | 306 (48.0) | .692 | |
| Vision impairment, n (%) | 236 (25.1) | 90 (29.6) | 146 (22.9) | .026 | Φ = 0.07 |
| Depressive symptoms (GDS), M (SD) | 2.53 (2.51) | 3.45 (2.88) | 2.09 (2.19) | <.001 | d = 0.53 |
GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale (score range: 0–15); LSNS-6, short form of the Lubben Social Network Scale (score range = 0–30); M, mean; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination (score range: 0–30); SD, standard deviation; missing values: married/in partnership: n = 1 (0.1%); stroke: n = 218 (23.1%); diabetes mellitus: n = 223 (23.7%); hypertension: n = 215 (22.8%); depressive symptoms: n = 7 (0.7%);
*Based on the total score of the short form of the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6, scoring range = 0–30), which defines social isolation as a score below 12 and social integration as a score equal 12 or higher.