Table 1

 Characteristics of study population

CharacteristicManual workNon-manual workp value
n = 273 (%)n = 91 (%)
*Self-reported scale ranging from 0 (minimal physical stress) to 10 (maximum physical stress).
†Defined as MDS Depression Rating Scale ⩾3.
CPS, Cognitive Performance Scale; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Age, years (mean±SD)86.0±4.885.2±4.80.140
Female gender175 (64.1)69 (75.8)0.250
Marital status0.237
    Married82 (30.0)19 (20.9)
    Widowed163 (59.7)62 (68.1)
    Never married28 (10.3)10 (11.0)
Living alone75 (28.4)28 (31.8)0.773
Education, years (mean±SD)4.8±0.95.8±2.6<0.001
Depression†65 (23.8)27 (29.7)0.894
Duration in principal job, years (mean±SD)45.5±16.746.5±15.70.663
Physical stress associated to job (mean±SD)*7.2±1.04.5±1.5<0.001
Physical activity<0.001
Light-moderate136 (50)70 (77)
High137 (50)21 (23)
CPS score (mean±SD)1.1±1.70.9±1.70.553
Diseases
    Ischaemic heart disease34 (12.5)10 (11.0)0.432
    Congestive heart failure18 (6.6)4 (4.4)0.317
    Hypertension194 (71.1)69 (75.8)0.230
    Stroke12 (4.4)5 (5.5)0.770
    Diabetes84 (30.8)25 (27.5)0.324
    COPD39 (14.3)10 (11.0)0.272
    Parkinson’s disease4 (1.5)2 (2.2)0.832
    Cancer14 (5.1)3 (3.3)0.348
    Osteoarthritis53 (19.4)18 (19.8)0.596
    Recent hip fracture13 (4.8)9 (9.9)0.974
Number of diseases (mean±SD)2.1±1.32.2±1.20.394
Body mass index, kg/m2 (mean±SD)25.7±4.525.3±4.50.540
Alcohol abuse40 (15)5 (6)0.013
Smoking status0.490
    Current6 (2)2 (2)
    Past61 (22)15 (17)
Sensory impairment:
    Hearing70 (25.6)13 (14.3)0.016
    Vision70 (25.6)16 (17.6)0.075
Haemoglobin, g/dl (mean±SD)13.3±1.712.8±1.80.048
Albumin, g/dl (mean±SD)4.1±0.34.1±0.40.527
Cholesterol, mg/dl (mean±SD)198.3±44.5192.3±45.70.299