Table 1.
Comparison of the characteristics of the older adults with those of the general adult population in this study.
| Characteristics | Older adult population, n=682, n (%) | General population, n=3427, n (%) | Total, N=4109, n (%) | P value | |
| Gender | <.001 | ||||
|
|
Male | 400 (58.6) | 1718 (50.1) | 2118 (51.5) |
|
|
|
Female | 282 (41.3) | 1709 (49.9) | 1991 (48.5) |
|
| Regiona | <.001 | ||||
|
|
Atlantic provinces | 56 (8.2) | 237 (6.9) | 293 (7.1) |
|
|
|
Quebec | 153 (22.4) | 833 (24.3) | 986 (24.0) |
|
|
|
Ontario | 265 (38.9) | 1310 (38.2) | 1575 (38.3) |
|
|
|
Prairies | 37 (5.4) | 229 (6.7) | 266 (6.5) |
|
|
|
Alberta | 50 (7.3) | 387 (11.3) | 437 (10.6) |
|
|
|
British Columbia and territories |
121 (17.7) | 431 (12.6) | 552 (13.4) |
|
| Highest education levelb,c | .09 | ||||
|
|
Primary and secondary school | 181 (26.7) | 758 (22.5) | 939 (23.2) |
|
|
|
College/CEGEP | 177 (26.1) | 972 (28.8) | 1149 (28.4) |
|
|
|
University undergraduate | 207 (30.6) | 1093 (32.4) | 1300 (32.1) |
|
|
|
University graduate | 112 (16.5) | 549 (16.3) | 660 (16.3) |
|
| Employment | <.001 | ||||
|
|
Full-time | 37 (5.4) | 1921 (56.1) | 1958 (47.6) |
|
|
|
Part-time | 44 (6.4) | 385 (11.2) | 429 (10.4) |
|
|
|
Retired | 587 (86.1) | 350 (10.2) | 937 (22.8) |
|
|
|
Other | 14 (2.1) | 771 (22.5) | 785 (19.1) |
|
| Incomed | <.001 | ||||
|
|
<$20,000 | 32 (5.7) | 236 (8.1) | 268 (7.7) |
|
|
|
$20,000-$39,999 | 123 (22.1) | 461 (15.7) | 584 (16.7) |
|
|
|
$40,000-$59,999 | 131 (23.5) | 482 (16.4) | 613 (17.6) |
|
|
|
$60,000-$79,999 | 95 (17.1) | 465 (15.9) | 560 (16.1) |
|
|
|
$80,000-$99,000 | 74 (13.2) | 424 (14.4) | 498 (14.3) |
|
|
|
≥$100,000 | 102 (18.3) | 863 (29.4) | 965 (27.7) |
|
| Chronic conditionse | <.001 | ||||
|
|
Yes | 342 (51.4) | 939 (28.0) | 1281 (31.9) |
|
|
|
No | 323 (48.6) | 2413 (72.0) | 2736 (68.1) |
|
| Current health statusb | .87 | ||||
|
|
Very poor/poor | 63 (9.2) | 339 (9.9) | 402 (9.8) |
|
|
|
Good | 345 (50.7) | 1724 (50.3) | 2070 (50.4) |
|
|
|
Very good/excellent | 274 (40.2) | 1364 (39.8) | 1638 (39.9) |
|
| Tracking health measures | <.001 | ||||
|
|
Manual self-tracking | 307 (45.0) | 744 (21.7) | 1051 (25.6) |
|
|
|
Electronic self-tracking | 121 (17.8) | 1547 (45.1) | 1668 (40.6) |
|
|
|
No self-tracking | 254 (37.2) | 1135 (33.1) | 1389 (33.8) |
|
aAtlantic provinces include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, New Foundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island; Prairies include Manitoba and Saskatchewan; Territories include Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest territories.
bSignificant differences were observed between seniors and the general population on all variables except for “Current health status” and the “Highest level of education”.
cThere were 5 and 55 nonrespondent in the older adult group and the general adult population, respectively.
dThere were 125 and 496 nonrespondents in the older adult group and the general adult population, respectively. All income data are provided in Canadian dollars (CAD $1=US $1.31).
eThere were 17 and 75 nonrespondents in the older adult group and the general adult population, respectively.