Table 1 Demographic characteristics of participants (n = 427)

Age, year

60–69

172

40.28

70–79

188

44.03

≥ 80

67

15.69

Mean (SD)

72.04 (7.45)

Sex

Male

173

40.50

Female

254

59.50

Education

Primary school or below

133

31.15

Junior high school

133

31.15

High school or technical secondary school

113

26.46

Junior college or above

48

11.24

Marriage

Married and spouse alive

324

75.88

Other

103

24.12

Residential status

Live with spouse

199

46.60

Live with children

89

20.84

Live with spouse and children

113

26.46

Live alone

26

6.09

The number of children

0

6

1.41

1

195

45.67

≥ 2

226

52.93

Occupation before retirement

Employees of enterprises and institutions

159

37.24

Other

268

62.76

Source of income

Pension

347

81.26

Other

80

18.74

Monthly personal income (RMB)

< 1000 yuan

48

11.24

1000–3000 yuan

174

40.75

3000–5000 yuan

185

43.33

≥ 5000 yuan

20

4.68

Medical insurance type

Medical insurance for urban employees

322

75.41

Medical insurance for urban and rural residents

97

22.72

Other

8

1.87

Self-care

Completely self-care

395

92.51

Partly self-care

32

7.49

Completely unable to self-care

0

0.00

The number of chronic diseases

Single disease

269

63.00

Coexistence of multiple diseases (≥ 2)

158

37.00

Duration of chronic disease, year

≤ 5

118

27.63

6–10

122

28.57

11–15

85

19.91

16–20

59

13.82

> 20

43

10.07

Taking medicine kinds a day

< 5

384

89.93

≥ 5

43

10.07

Taking medicine times a day

1

176

41.22

2

136

31.85

≥ 3

115

26.93

Whether adverse drug events have occurred

Yes

9

2.11

No

397

92.97

Uncertainty

21

4.92

Whether hospitalized due to chronic diseases

Yes

49

11.48

No

378

88.52