Table 1.

Demographic characteristics of the study population at the third follow-up of the ESTHER study (2008–2010)

Baseline variables	Women			Men			p (Chi2)
	n	(%)	95%CI	n	(%)	95%CI
Age (years)
55–64	326	28.9	26.5.; 31.6	253	24.3	21.7; 27.0	.043
65–74	602	53.3	50.4; 56.3	579	55.6	52.5; 58.6
75–84	201	17.8	15.6; 20.2	210	20.2	17.8; 22.8
Education (years)*
< 9	11	1.0	0.5; 1.8	14	1.4	0.8; 2.3	< .001
9–10	981	88.2	86.2; 90.1	762	74.1	71.3; 76.7
11–12	53	4.8	3.5; 6.0	141	13.7	11.7; 16.0
> 12	67	6.0	4.7; 7.6	112	10.9	9.1; 13.0
Marital status**
Single	41	3.6	2.6; 4.9	37	3.6	2.5; 4.9	< .001
Married	693	61.5	58.6; 63.4	889	85.8	83.5; 87.9
Divorced/widowed	393	34.9	31.1; 37.7	110	10.6	8.8; 12.7
Physical health***
No chronic disease	299	26.5	23.9; 29.2	284	27.3	24.6; 30.1	.92
1 chronic disease	245	21.7	19.3; 24.2	223	21.4	19.0; 24.0
≥ 2 chronic diseases	585	51.8	48.9; 54.8	534	51.3	48.2; 54.4
Mental health
Depression	104	9.3	7.6; 11.1	48	4.6	3.4; 6.1	< .001
Somatization	88	7.8	6.3; 9.5	27	2.6	1.7; 3.8	< .001
GAD	54	4.8	3.6; 6.2	18	1.8	1.0; 2.7	< .001
Social network
Loneliness(high degree)	215	19.0	16.8; 21.5	79	7.6	6.1; 9.4	< .001
Social isolation	133	11.8	10.0; 13.8	154	14.8	12.7; 17.1	.039

Total: 2171 participants; CI confidence interval; p Chi²-test comparing women and men

*Missing = 30; **missing = 8; ***missing = 1;