Table 2 Economic characteristics of single older adults according to food security status
Variables | Total | Food secure household | Food insecure household | t or chi-square |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Objective economic indices | ||||
Average monthly income for last 1 year, $ a | 275.5±149.9 | 280.9±156.6 | 265.3±137.2 | 0.42 |
Earnings | 44.7±100.5 | 53.1±111.9 | 28.9±72.8 | 2.24 |
Subsidies | 189.6±139.9 | 182.6±141.9 | 202.9±136.4 | 0.81 |
Allowances from family | 41.2±88.1 | 45.2±94.1 | 33.4±75.6 | 0.69 |
Average monthly expenditure for last 1 year, $ | 157.8±101.2 | 153.7±100.8 | 165.6±102.2 | 0.54 |
Food expenses | 36.0±41.3 | 37.5±44.1 | 33.2±35.5 | 0.41 |
Housing fee | 43.5±71.7 | 31.3±64.4 | 66.4±79.3 | 9.75** |
Heating costs | 53.0±36.3 | 54.0±36.8 | 51.2±35.6 | 0.22 |
Medical expenses | 25.3±42.9 | 30.9±48.1 | 14.7±28.6 | 5.61* |
% Proportions of expenditure components, all year | ||||
Food expenditure | 22.9±19.5 | 24.8±20.6 | 19.3±16.7 | 3.05 |
Housing fee | 19.4±29.7 | 14.1±26.1 | 29.4±33.4 | 10.8** |
Heating costs | 41.9±26.5 | 42.9±25.4 | 40.1±28.8 | 0.42 |
Medical expenditure | 15.3±21.5 | 18.3±22.4 | 9.5±18.4 | 6.63* |
Perceived economic indices | ||||
Reduced food expenses due to burden of housing fee | 21.8(37) | 15.3(17) | 33.9(20) | 7.82** |
Reduced food expenses due to burden of heating costs | 51.8(88) | 44.1(49) | 66.1(39) | 7.44** |