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Table 1 The subjects’ characteristics according to sex

From: Depression, malnutrition, and health-related quality of life among Nepali older patients

 

Total (n = 289)

Male (n = 170)

Female (n = 119)

p value

n (%)

n (%)

n (%)

Age, (mean ± SD)

68.5 ± 6.5

69.5 ± 6.6

67.1 ± 6.1

0.002 a

Gender

 Male

170 (58.8)

   

 Female

119 (41.2)

   

Ethnicity

 Upper caste

134 (46.4)

84 (49.4)

50 (42.0)

0.429

 Janjatis

134 (46.4)

75 (44.1)

59 (49.6)

 

 Dalit and minorities

21 (7.3)

11 (6.5)

10 (8.4)

 

Religion

   

0.656

 Hindu

220 (76.1)

131 (77.1)

89 (74.8)

 

 Non-Hindu

69 (23.9)

39 (22.9)

30 (25.2)

 

Marital status

   

0.138

 Married

231 (79.9)

141 (82.9)

90 (75.6)

 

 Separated/Widow/Single

58 (20.1)

29 (17.1)

29 (24.4)

 

Educational status

   

< 0.001

 Illiterate

112 (38.8)

46 (27.1)

66 (55.5)

 

 Informal

97 (33.6)

66 (38.8)

31 (26.1)

 

 Formal

80 (27.7)

58 (34.1)

22 (18.5)

 

Past Occupation

   

< 0.001

 Agriculture

114 (39.4)

73 (42.9)

41 (34.5)

 

 Homemaker

57 (19.7)

–

57 (47.9)

 

 Business/job

93 (32.2)

75 (44.1)

18 (15.1)

 

 Others

25 (8.7)

22 (12.9)

3 (2.5)

 

Monthly family income (n = 167), $, (mean ± SD)

205.3 ± 90.1

206.8 ± 88.8

203.1 ± 92.7

0.799a

Family Structure

   

0.013

 Nuclear

47 (16.3)

21 (12.4)

26 (21.8)

 

 Joint

204 (70.6)

120 (70.6)

84 (70.6)

 

 Extended

38 (13.1)

29 (17.1)

9 (7.6)

 

Smoking

   

0.102

 Yes

155 (53.6)

98 (57.6)

57 (47.9)

 

 No

134 (46.4)

72 (42.4)

62 (52.1)

 

Alcohol use

   

0.397

 Yes

98 (33.9)

61 (35.9)

37 (31.1)

 

 No

191 (66.1)

109 (64.1)

82 (68.9)

 

Self-rated health status

   

0.380

 Better

69 (23.9)

40 (23.5)

29 (24.4)

 

 Similar

139 (48.1)

87 (51.2)

52 (43.7)

 

 Worse

81 (28.0)

43 (25.3)

38 (31.9)

 

Adequate rest

   

0.042

 Yes

81 (28.0)

40 (23.5)

41 (34.5)

 

 No

208 (72.0)

130 (76.5)

78 (65.5)

 

Working currently

   

0.012

 Yes

27 (9.3)

22 (12.9)

5 (4.2)

 

 No

262 (90.7)

148 (87.1)

114 (95.8)

 

Caretaker

   

0.004

 Son and daughter in law

153 (52.9)

78 (45.9)

75 (63.0)

 

 Others

136 (47.1)

92 (54.1)

44 (37.0)

 

Ignored/hated for being old

   

0.005

 Yes

45 (15.6)

18 (10.6)

27 (22.7)

 

 No

244 (84.4)

152 (89.4)

92 (77.3)

 

BMI, kg/m2, (mean ± SD)

24.9 ± 3.5

24.8 ± 3.5

24.9 ± 3.7

0.837a

MNA score, (mean ± SD)

10.9 ± 2.5

11.2 ± 2.5

10.7 ± 2.5

0.099a

GDS Score, (mean ± SD)

5.9 ± 3.8

5.9 ± 3.9

5.8 ± 3.7

0.827a

EQVAS, (mean ± SD)

65.2 ± 16.8

66.4 ± 17.3

63.6 ± 16.1

0.179a

  1. ap-value from independent t-test test; all others are chi-square. 1$ = 100 Nepalese rupees
  2. Abbreviation: SD standard deviation, BMI body mass index, MNA mini nutritional assessment short form cumulative score, GDS Geriatric depression scale short form cumulative score, EQVAS European quality of life visual analytical scale