Table 1 Background characteristics of respondents by sex, among adults aged 50 and over NUHDSS Korogocho and Viwandani Nairobi City, Kenya, 2006–7

Total n(%)

1260 (67.1 %)

618 (32.9 %)

1878 (100 %)

Age-group n(%)

p < 0.001

 50–59 years

909 (72.2)

359 (58.0)

1271 (67.6)

 60–69 years

250 (20.0)

156 (25.2)

404 (21.6)

 70–79 years

72 (5.7)

62 (10.1)

133 (7.1)

 80-plus years

29 (2.3)

41 (6.7)

70 (3.7)

Education n(%)

p < 0.001

 More than 6 years

252 (20.0)

37 (6.0)

289 (15.4)

 Primary <6 years

785 (62.3)

286 (46.3)

1071 (57.0)

 No formal education

223 (17.7)

295 (47.7)

518 (27.6)

Marital status n(%)

p < 0.001

 In current partnership

1128 (89.5)

185 (30.0)

1313 (69.9)

 Now single

132 (10.5)

433 (70.0)

565 (30.1)

Living arrangement n(%)

P < 0.01

 Living with other(s)

922 (73.2)

499 (80.8)

1422 (75.7)

 Living alone

338 (26.8)

119 (19.2)

456 (24.3)

Wealth Quintiles n(%)

p < 0.001

 Poorest quintile

359 (28.5)

101 (16.3)

460 (24.5)

 2nd quintile

145 (11.5)

137 (22.2)

282 (15.0)

 3rd quintile

241 (19.1)

142 (22.9)

383 (20.4)

 4th quintile

243 (19.3)

151 (24.6)

394 (21.0)

 Least poorest quintile

272 (21.6)

87 (14.1)

359 (19.1)

Household size n(%)

P < 0.01

 1–2 members

570 (45.2)

226 (36.8)

797 (42.4)

 3–4 members

252 (20.0)

158 (25.5)

409 (21.8)

 5 members and over

438 (34.8)

234 (37.8)

672 (35.8)

 Mobility

5.6

17.4

9.5

p < 0.001

 Self-care

2.3

3.6

2.8

p = 0.11

 Pain/Discomfort

5.7

17.1

9.6

p < 0.001

 Cognition

6.1

12.7

8.3

p < 0.001

 Interpersonal activities

1.5

3.3

2.1

p = 0.01

 Sleep/Energy

3.9

10.8

6.2

p < 0.001

 Affect

2.6

8.5

4.6

p < 0.001

 Vision

3.3

7.1

4.5

p = 0.001

 % with poor QoL

36.4

55.2

42.6

p < 0.001