Table 1.
Percent (and n) distribution of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, health and social well-being, by clinical vulnerability to COVID-19
| All sample | Clinically not vulnerable | Clinically vulnerable | P value | |
| Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics | ||||
| Mean age (SD) | 67.0 | 65.4 (10.06) | 69.4 (10.88) | <0.001 |
| Female | 52.7 | 53.3 (1984) | 51.8 (1205) | 0.392 |
| Non-White | 7.1 | 5.8 (107) | 9.1 (114) | 0.007 |
| In lowest wealth quintile | 19.4 | 15.7 (367) | 25.2 (363) | <0.001 |
| 2nd wealth quintile | 19.8 | 17.9 (506) | 22.7 (454) | |
| 3rd wealth quintile | 20.4 | 20.3 (705) | 20.4 (489) | |
| 4th wealth quintile | 20.4 | 22.5 (863) | 17.3 (444) | |
| In highest wealth quintile | 20.0 | 23.6 (918) | 14.4 (398) | |
| Mean income in £10 000 (SD) | 2.31 | 2.52 (2.31) | 1.99 (1.65) | <0.001 |
| Married/cohabiting | 65.9 | 69.5 (2372) | 60.2 (1338) | <0.001 |
| Mean people in household (SD) | 2.16 | 2.20 (1.01) | 2.09 (1.04) | 0.010 |
| High education | 20.5 | 24.3 (950) | 14.8 (409) | <0.001 |
| Medium education | 49.1 | 50.8 (1694) | 46.3 (1059) | |
| Low education | 30.4 | 24.9 (716) | 38.9 (686) | |
| Health | ||||
| Poor self-rated health | 25.6 | 15.7 (474) | 40.9 (808) | <0.001 |
| Less physically active | 35.5 | 32.5 (1091) | 40.2 (893) | <0.001 |
| 3+ CES-D depressive symptoms | 27.9 | 22.7 (743) | 35.9 (712) | <0.001 |
| 10+ GAD-7 anxiety | 9.6 | 6.5 (192) | 14.4 (235) | <0.001 |
| Happiness (SD) | 7.52 | 7.70 (1.99) | 7.22 (2.14) | <0.001 |
| Life satisfaction (SD) | 7.38 | 7.65 (2.00) | 6.94 (2.51) | <0.001 |
| Mean CASP-12 score (SD) | 26.1 | 27.4 (5.66) | 24.0 (6.77) | <0.001 |
| Social well-being | ||||
| Voluntary work | 16.8 | 18.7 (638) | 13.8 (316) | <0.001 |
| High loneliness (UCLA) | 23.3 | 19.9 (653) | 28.5 (566) | <0.001 |
| Less than weekly contacts (phone) | 9.9 | 9.7 (301) | 10.3 (206) | 0.556 |
| Less than weekly contacts (email/text/video call) | 15.7 | 13.0 (419) | 19.9 (406) | <0.001 |
| Has received formal help | 9.1 | 4.6 (164) | 16.2 (341) | 0.001 |
| Unmet care needs | 9.4 | 4.9 (163) | 16.4 (305) | <0.001 |
| Shielding | 16.1 | 8.1 (328) | 28.5 (614) | <0.001 |
| Total respondents | 5585 | 60.8 (3413) | 39.2 (2172) | |
Source: ELSA, COVID-19 substudy wave 1 (June/July 2020) and wave 9 (2018/2019). Weighted data. P values refer to the relevant statistical tests (ie, t-test, ANOVA or χ2 tests).
ANOVA, analysis of variance; CASP-12, Control, Autonomy, Self-realization and Pleasure-12 scale; CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; ELSA, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; GAD-7, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7.