Table 1 Demographic characteristics of older people by sex, Tehran, Iran (N = 583)

Age (year)

69.54 ± 6.14^a)

66.34 ± 5.14^a)

67.87 ± 5.86^a)

 < 0.0001^*

Total number of children

3.78 ± 1.78^a)

3.89 ± 1.72^a)

3.83 ± 1.75^a)

0.562

Number of children living with older people

1.03 ± 1.12^a)

0.85 ± 0.96^a)

0.94 ± 1.05^a)

0.044^*

Living arrangement

Living alone

14 (5.0)

54 (17.8)

68 (11.7)

 < 0.0001^*

With family

265 (95.0)

250 (82.2)

515 (88.3

Marital status

Married

264 (94.6)

200 (65.8)

464 (79.6)

 < 0.0001^*

Single

15 (5.4)

104 (34.2)

119 (20.4)

Ethnicity

Fars

144 (51.8)

184 (60.7)

328 (56.5)

0.006^*

Azeri

76 (27.3)

50 (16.5)

126 (21.7)

Others

59 (20.9)

70 (22.8)

127 (21.8)

Relationship with the head of the household

Head

276 (98.9)

117 (38.5)

393 (67.4)

 < 0.0001^*

Spouse

3 (1.1)

187 (61.5)

190 (32.6)