Table 3 General characteristics of the elderly by medication use
General characteristics and diseases | Percent of drugs used by group | χ2 (df) | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1–2 drugs | 3–5 drugs | 6 drugs or more | |||
 • Depressive disorder | 15.5 | 26.2 | 28.3 | 11.50(2) | 0.002 |
 • Anxiety disorder | 3.9 | 43.1 | 52.9 | 23.05(2) | <  0.001 |
 • Hypertension | 4.3 | 27.6 | 43.9 | 96.96(2) | <  0.001 |
 • Diabetes mellitus | 1.3 | 4.1 | 15.7 | 44.64(2) | <  0.001 |
 • Dyslipidemia | 7.7 | 9.1 | 5.2 | 2.98(2) | 0.225 |
Health care privilege |  |  |  | 24.14(4) | <  0.001 |
 • Self or private | 21.9 | 18.3 | 7.9 |  |  |
 • Civil or state | 15.5 | 25.0 | 20.7 |  |  |
 • Universal coverage or social welfare | 24.9 | 22.7 | 19.7 |  |  |
Education | Â | Â | Â | 5.43(4) | 0.246 |
 • Less than primary school | 77.6 | 70.2 | 69.8 |  |  |
 • High school | 10.2 | 14.0 | 11.5 |  |  |
 • Bachelor and higher | 12.2 | 15.8 | 18.8 |  |  |
Monthly income (USD; 1 USD = 32.76 Baht) |  |  |  | 9.28(4) | 0.054 |
 • < 152.62 | 56.9 | 63.0 | 56.9 |  |  |
 • 152.62–305.25 | 19.0 | 11.4 | 12.4 |  |  |
 • > 305.25 | 24.1 | 25.6 | 30.7 |  |  |
Age group (years) | Â | Â | Â | 3.38(4) | 0.497 |
 • 60–64 | 33.5 | 31.2 | 33.2 |  |  |
 • 65–74 | 44.2 | 47.6 | 40.6 |  |  |
 • More than 74 | 22.3 | 21.2 | 26.2 |  |  |
Living with spouse status | Â | Â | Â | 13.11(2) | 0.001 |
 • Alone | 28.3 | 36.8 | 44.5 |  |  |
 • With others | 71.7 | 63.2 | 55.5 |  |  |
Number of diseases (Mean ± SD) | 1.13 ± .34 | 1.77 ± .82 | 3.54 ± 1.72 | 290.89a(2) | < .001 |
Neuroticism score | 40.83 ± 11.37 | 43.57 ± 12.72 | 45.90 ± 13.53 | 8.94(2) | < 0.001 |