Morale in Old Age and Its Association with Sociodemographic, Social, and Health-Related Factors in Different Age Groups
Table 2
Sample characteristics according to age group and of the total sample (n = 9047).
66-year-olds (n = 2711) M (SD) (%)
71-year-olds (n = 2806) M (SD) (%)
76-year-olds (n = 1619) M (SD) (%)
81-year-olds (n = 1214) M (SD) (%)
86-year-olds (n = 697) M (SD) (%)
Total (n = 9047) M (SD) (%)
PGCMS (continuous)
13.6 (3.1)
13.1 (3.2)
12.4 (3.3)
11.7 (3.3)
10.9 (3.4)
12.8 (3.3)
Woman
53.3
52.1
51.7
54.1
63.4
53.5
Higher educational level
72.7
60.5
50.9
46.7
39.1
59.0
In a relationship
82.1
79.5
72.1
62.2
44.3
74.0
Region
Västerbotten, Sweden
43.8
47.0
51.4
46.7
46.9
46.7
Swedish-speakers in Ostrobothnia, Finland
23.1
25.6
22.1
25.3
27.4
24.3
Finnish-speakers in Ostrobothnia and Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland
33.1
27.4
26.6
28.0
25.7
28.9
Place of residence
Urban
40.2
40.7
41.7
43.7
41.7
41.2
Semiurban
18.3
19.1
22.4
19.1
22.5
19.7
Rural
41.4
40.2
35.9
37.2
35.8
39.1
Born in the same place as you live now
36.6
33.6
33.1
36.0
33.7
34.7
Making ends meet without difficulties
63.3
65.1
64.0
64.6
67.1
64.4
Frequent contacts with children and grandchildren
56.1
56.0
51.1
54.4
55.3
54.9
Frequent contacts with friends and neighbors
40.8
44.2
42.8
42.3
41.1
42.4
High trust in friends and neighbors
68.3
66.3
64.5
58.5
56.0
64.8
2 confidants or more
69.9
68.5
66.3
67.7
60.3
67.8
Active in an association
45.3
48.1
52.6
47.6
39.7
47.4
Perceived loneliness
7.9
7.6
10.5
14.4
18.4
9.9
Gone through a crisis during the preceding year
46.6
43.9
46.2
47.5
45.8
45.7
Impaired vision
0.9
1.5
1.8
2.2
4.2
1.7
Impaired hearing
0.7
1.2
1.5
2.4
5.3
1.6
Stroke
4.4
6.7
9.3
11.4
13.0
7.5
Pain
47.2
47.1
46.3
51.1
55.4
48.1
Sleeping well
73.1
70.5
70.4
68.2
63.1
70.4
Mainly own teeth
85.9
77.4
68.7
59.6
48.4
74.1
Independent in IADL
76.2
66.3
53.1
38.2
28.7
60.2
Independent in PADL
96.2
95.3
93.6
92.2
85.2
94.1
Poor self-rated health
23.9
30.7
40.5
52.0
63.7
35.7
Depression
10.7
11.8
13.7
15.1
22.4
13.0
Note. Percentages are reported for dichotomous variables, and mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables. PGCMS: Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale; IADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; PADL: Personal Activities of Daily Living.
