Table 1.
Sample characteristics of the participants.
| Variable | Total | Caring for grandchildren | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | No n (%) | Yes n (%) | ||
| 5,490 (100.0%) | 3,250 (59.2) | 2,240 (40.8) | ||
| Cognitive function median (P25, P75) | 21 (16, 25) | 20 (15, 24) | 22 (18, 26) | < 0.001 |
| Social activity median (P25, P75) | 0 (0, 3) | 0 (0, 3) | 1 (0, 3) | < 0.001 |
| Gender | 0.071 | |||
| Female | 2,850 (51.9) | 1,720 (52.9) | 1,130 (50.4) | |
| Male | 2,640 (48.1) | 1,530 (47.1) | 1,110 (49.6) | |
| Age median (P25, P75) | 67 (63,73) | 70 (65, 76) | 65 (62, 69) | < 0.001 |
| Number of types of chronic diseases | 0.735 | |||
| 0 | 2,834 (51.6) | 1,666 (51.3) | 1,168 (52.1) | |
| 1 type | 1,596 (29.1) | 963 (29.6) | 633 (28.3) | |
| 2 types | 649 (11.8) | 379 (11.7) | 270 (12.1) | |
| 3 types and above | 411 (7.5) | 242 (7.4) | 169 (7.5) | |
| Self-reported health status | 0.014 | |||
| Very poor | 521 (9.5) | 296 (9.1) | 225 (10.0) | |
| Poor | 616 (11.2) | 353 (10.9) | 263 (11.7) | |
| Fair | 2,583 (47.0) | 1,516 (46.6) | 1,067 (47.6) | |
| Good | 1,357 (24.7) | 825 (25.4) | 532 (23.8) | |
| Very good | 413 (7.5) | 260 (8.0) | 153 (6.8) | |
| Depressive symptoms median (P25, P75) | 7 (3, 13) | 8 (4, 14) | 7 (3, 13) | 0.001 |
| Life satisfaction | 0.724 | |||
| Completely satisfied | 288 (5.2) | 175 (5.4) | 113 (5.0) | |
| Very satisfied | 1,675 (30.5) | 989 (30.4) | 686 (30.6) | |
| Somewhat satisfied | 2,847 (51.9) | 1,667 (51.3) | 1,180 (52.7) | |
| Not very satisfied | 466 (8.5) | 292 (9.0) | 174 (7.8) | |
| Not at all satisfied | 214 (3.9) | 127 (3.9) | 87 (3.9) | |
| Caring for grandchildren and cohabiting with a spouse | < 0.001 | |||
| No | 3,250 (100.0) | 621 (27.7) | ||
| Yes | 0 (0.0%) | 1,619 (72.3) | ||
| Caring for grandchildren and not cohabiting with a spouse | < 0.001 | |||
| No | 3,250 (100.0) | 1,619 (72.3) | ||
| Yes | 0 (0.0%) | 621 (27.7) | ||