Table 1.
Demographic characteristics of the sample
| Variable | National (N = 2990) N (%) |
Victoria (N = 257) N (%) |
Rest of Australia (N = 2,733) N (%) |
p-value (Group Differences)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State/Territory | ||||
| NSW | 2,102 (70.3) | - | - | |
| ACT | 18 (0.6) | - | - | |
| VIC | 257 (8.6) | - | - | |
| QLD | 176 (5.9) | - | - | |
| SA | 135 (4.5) | - | - | |
| WA | 45 (1.5) | - | - | |
| TAS | 158 (5.3) | - | - | |
| NT | 19 (0.6) | - | - | |
| Unknown | 80 (2.7) | |||
| Gender | ||||
| Female | 1,998 (66.8) | 204 (79.4) | 1,794 (65.6) | < 0.001 |
| Male | 933 (31.2) | 53 (20.6) | 880 (32.2) | |
| Unknown | 59 (2.0) | 0 | 59 (2.2) | |
| Age | ||||
| Mean [SD] | 67.3 (7.0) | 67.6 (7.2) | 67.3 (7.0) | 0.59 |
| 55–64 | 1,372 (45.9) | 103 (40.1) | 1,269 (46.4) | 0.20 |
| 65–74 | 1,204 (40.3) | 116 (45.1) | 1,088 (39.8) | |
| 75–84 | 364 (12.2) | 35 (13.6) | 329 (12.0) | |
| 85+ | 50 (1.7) | 3 (1.2) | 47 (1.7) | |
| SES | ||||
| 1 (Most) | 320 (10.7) | 11 (4.3) | 309 (11.3) | < 0.001 |
| 2 | 571 (19.1) | 52 (20.2) | 519 (19.0) | |
| 3 | 533 (17.3) | 57 (22.2) | 476 (17.4) | |
| 4 | 476 (15.9) | 68 (26.5) | 408 (14.9) | |
| 5 (least) | 998 (33.4) | 69 (26.8) | 929 (34.0) | |
| Missing | 95 (3.1) | - | 92 (3.4) | |
| Relationship status | ||||
| Never married | 208 (7.0) | 185 (6.8) | 23 (9.0) | 0.05 |
| Married/De facto | 1,909 (63.9) | 1,755 (64.2) | 154 (59.9) | |
| Divorced/Separated but not divorced | 527 (17.6) | 476 (17.4) | 51 (19.8) | |
| Widowed | 285 (9.5) | 256 (9.4) | 29 (11.3) | |
| Unknown | 61 (2.0) | 61 (2.2) | 0 (0) | |
| Country of Birth | ||||
| Australia | 2,178 (72.8) | 204 (79.4) | 1,974 (72.2) | 0.01 |
| Other/Unknown | 812 (27.2) | 53 (20.6) | 759 (27.8) | |
| Education | ||||
| Secondary School or less | 552 (18.5) | 41 (16.0) | 511 (18.7) | 0.02 |
| Trade qualification | 130 (4.4) | 5 (2.0) | 125 (4.6) | |
| Certificate | 263 (8.8) | 21 (8.2) | 242 (8.9) | |
| Diploma | 574 (19.2) | 59 (23.0) | 515 (18.8) | |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 680 (22.7) | 55 (21.4) | 625 (22.9) | |
| Post-graduate degree | 705 (23.6) | 74 (28.8) | 631 (23.1) | |
| Unknown | 86 (2.9) | 2 (0.8) | 84 (3.1) | |
| Retired | ||||
| Yes | 1,671 (55.9 %) | 107 (41.6 %) | 1,521 (55.7 %) | 0.40 |
| No | 1,319 (44.1 %) | 150 (58.4 %) | 1,212 (44.3 %) | |
| Government benefits/pension | ||||
| Yes | 1,268 (42.4) | 120 (46.7) | 1,148 (42.0) | 0.05 |
| No | 1,635 (54.7) | 135 (52.5) | 1,500 (54.9) | |
| Unknown | 87 (2.9) | 2 (0.8) | 85 (3.1) | |
| Aged care services | ||||
| Yes | 151 (5.1) | 14 (5.5) | 137 (5.0) | 0.15 |
| No | 2,744 (91.8) | 240 (93.4) | 2,504 (91.6) | |
| Health status | ||||
| Chronic heart disease | 214 (7.8) | 15 (5.8) | 199 (7.3) | 0.39 |
| Diabetes | 287 (9.6) | 21 (8.2) | 266 (9.7) | 0.42 |
| Stroke | 73 (2.4) | 5 (2.0) | 68 (2.5) | 0.59 |
| Sight impairment | 657 (22.0) | 67 (26.1) | 590 (21.6) | 0.10 |
| Hearing impairment | 528 (17.7) | 44 (17.1) | 484 (17.7) | 0.81 |
| COPD | 128 (4.3) | 6 (2.3) | 122 (4.5) | 0.11 |
| High blood pressure | 1119 (37.4) | 87 (33.9) | 1,032 (37.8) | 0.22 |
| Asthma | 401 (13.4) | 37 (14.4) | 364 (13.3) | 0.63 |
| Depression/Anxiety | 604 (20.2) | 60 (23.4) | 544 (19.9) | 0.19 |
| EQ-5D-5L Mean [SD] |
N = 2829 0.79 [0.16] |
N = 253 0.81 [0.15] |
N = 2576 0.79 [0.16] |
0.04a |
| Median [IQR] | 0.80 [0.72–0.88] | 0.84 [0.74–0.88] | 0.80 [0.72–0.88] | |
| Missing | 161 (5.3) | 4 (1.5) | 156 (6.0) | |
| LSNS Total Mean [SD] |
N = 2,841 9.8 [5.2] |
N = 253 9.7 [5.4] |
N = 2,588 9.8 [5.2] |
0.31b |
| LSNS Family Mean [SD] |
N = 2,842 4.9 [3.0] |
N = 253 5.1 [3.0] |
N = 2,589 4.9 [3.0] |
0.51b |
| LSNS Friends Mean [SD] |
N = 2,842 4.8 [3.1] |
N = 253 4.6 [3.2] |
N = 2,589 4.9 [3.1] |
0.60b |
| Rating of overall health during COVID-19 | ||||
| Stayed the same | 2,207 (73.8) | 189 (73.5) | 2,018 (73.8) | 0.01 |
| Got worse | 452 (15.1) | 50 (19.5) | 402 (14.7) | |
| Got better | 174 (5.8) | 14 (5.5) | 160 (5.9) | |
| Missing | 157 (5.3) | 4 (1.7) | 153 (5.6) | |
| Type of COVID-19 impact | ||||
| Positive | 55 (1.8) | 3 (1.8) | 52 (1.9) | < 0.001 |
| Negative | 1,063 (35.6) | 118 (45.9) | 945 (34.6) | |
| Mix | 1,265 (42.3) | 113 (50.0) | 1,152 (42.2) | |
| Missing | 607 (20.3) | 23 (9.0) | 584 (21.4) | |
| Healthcare access | ||||
| Unable to seek medical help in the last four weeks | 1,202 (40.2) | 115 (44.8) | 1,087 (39.8) | 0.12 |
| Delayed seeking medical help | 400 (13.4) | 52 (20.2) | 348 (12.7) | 0.001 |
| Difficulty accessing healthcare services | 384 (12.8) | 27 (10.5) | 357 (13.1) | 0.24 |
| Healthcare Use | ||||
| Elective hospital stay | 99 (3.3) | 9 (3.5) | 90 (3.3) | 0.86 |
| Non-Elective hospital stay | 65 (2.2) | 3 (1.2) | 62 (2.3) | 0.25 |
| Visited a Doctor or Nurse | 1537 (51.4) | 102 (39.7) | 1,435 (52.5) | < 0.001 |
| Visited a healthcare professional | 794 (26.6) | 53 (20.6) | 741 (27.1) | 0.02 |
| Home visit from doctor nurse or healthcare provider | 50 (1.7) | 2 (0.8) | 48 (1.8) | 0.24 |
| Received healthcare help at home | 48 (1.6) | 4 (1.6) | 44 (1.6) | 0.95 |
| Participated in a tele-health consultation | 845 (29.3) | 100 (38.9) | 745 (27.3) | < 0.001 |
| Received telehealth home care help | 64 (2.1) | 9 (3.5) | 55 (2.0) | 0.02 |
| Pharmacy | 2,186 (73.1) | 193 (75.1) | 1,993 (72.9) | 0.45 |
| Other | 393 (13.1) | 34 (13.2) | 359 (13.1) | 0.97 |
| Covid-19 has had a positive impact on my personal relationships | ||||
| Strongly Disagree | 288 (9.6) | 37 (14.4) | 251 (9.2) | < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 555 (18.6) | 36 (14.0) | 519 (19.0) | |
| Neutral | 1,076 (36.0) | 90 (35.0) | 986 (36.1) | |
| Agree | 618 (28.7) | 60 (23.4) | 558 (20.4) | |
| Strongly agree | 246 (8.2) | 28 (10.9) | 218 (8.0) | |
| Not sure | 15 (0.5) | 1 (0.4) | 14 (0.5) | |
| Missing | 192 (6.4) | 5 (2.0) | 187 (6.8) | |
| Covid-19 has had a positive impact on my social relationships | ||||
| Strongly Disagree | 330 (11.0) | 37 (14.4) | 293 (10.7) | < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 833 (27.9) | 72 (28.0) | 761 (27.8) | |
| Neutral | 846 (28.3) | 55 (21.4) | 791 (28.9) | |
| Agree | 603 (20.2) | 64 (24.9) | 539 (19.7) | |
| Strongly agree | 178 (6.0) | 21 (8.2) | 157 (5.7) | |
| Not sure | 12 (0.4) | 3 (1.2) | 9 (0.3) | |
| Missing | 188 (6.3) | 5 (2.0) | 183 (6.7) | |
| Covid-19 has had a positive impact on my mental health | ||||
| Strongly Disagree | 338 (11.3) | 42 (16.3) | 296 (10.8) | < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 921 (30.8) | 81 (31.5) | 840 (30.7) | |
| Neutral | 1,128 (37.7) | 82 (31.9) | 1,046 (38.3) | |
| Agree | 288 (9.6) | 37 (14.4) | 251 (9.2) | |
| Strongly agree | 101 (3.4) | 8 (3.1) | 93 (3.4) | |
| Not sure | 19 (0.6) | 2 (0.8) | 17 (0.6) | |
| Missing | 195 (6.5) | 4 (2.0) | 190 (7.0) | |
| Covid-19 has had a positive impact on my physical health | ||||
| Strongly Disagree | 301 (10.1) | 36 (14.0) | 265 (9.7) | < 0.001 |
| Disagree | 826 (27.6) | 69 (26.9) | 757 (27.7) | |
| Neutral | 993 (33.2) | 68 (26.5) | 925 (33.9) | |
| Agree | 483 (16.2) | 52 (20.2) | 431 (15.8) | |
| Strongly agree | 183 (6.1) | 26 (10.1) | 157 (5.7) | |
| Not sure | 10 (0.3) | 1 (0.4) | 9 (0.3) | |
| Missing | 194 (6.5) | 5 (2.0) | 189 (6.9) | |
| Covid-19 has had a positive impact on my lifestyle | ||||
| Strongly Disagree | 324 (10.8) | 36 (14.0) | 288 (10.5) | 0.005 |
| Disagree | 861 (28.8) | 79 (30.7) | 782 (28.6) | |
| Neutral | 954 (31.9) | 69 (26.9) | 885 (32.4) | |
| Agree | 484 (16.2) | 46 (17.9) | 438 (16.0) | |
| Strongly agree | 161 (5.4) | 21 (8.2) | 140 (5.1) | |
| Not sure | 12 (0.4) | 1 (0.4) | 11 (0.4) | |
| Missing | 194 (6.5) | 5 (2.0) | 189 (6.9) | |
*Level of significance of < 0.0021, highlighted in bold. Categorical tests are chi square and continuous variables are either aMann Whitney test or bOneway ANOVA test