Table 1 Sex differences in baseline characteristics.

From: Role of sex in the association between childhood socioeconomic position and cognitive ageing in later life

 

Women (n = 46,148)

Men (n = 37,911)

Sex difference (p value)

Effect size

Cognition (z-score), mean ± SD

0.03 ± 0.85

 − 0.04 ± 0.80

 < 0.001

 − 0.092

Verbal fluency, mean ± SD

19.92 ± 7.67

20.18 ± 7.45

 < 0.001

0.034

Immediate recall, mean ± SD

5.30 ± 1.81

5.09 ± 1.73

 < 0.001

 − 0.116

Delayed recall, mean ± SD

3.89 ± 2.15

3.59 ± 2.01

 < 0.001

 − 0.147

Childhood socioeconomic position, mean ± SD

0.00 ± 0.80

0.00 ± 0.80

0.649

0.003

Age, median (IQR)

62.00 (55.00–71.00)

62.00 (56.00–70.00)

0.694

0.003

Years of education, mean ± SD

10.47 ± 4.26

11.20 ± 4.40

 < 0.001

0.169

Depressive symptoms, n (%)

10,043 (21.84)

4048 (10.72)

 < 0.001

0.148

Highest decile of household net worth, n (%)a

4223 (9.15)

4181 (11.03)

 < 0.001

 − 0.031

Current working status, n (%)

13,312 (29.01)

13,968 (36.95)

 < 0.001

 − 0.084

Children: 2 and more, n (%)

33,622 (72.86)

27,848 (73.46)

0.051

 − 0.007

Grandchildren: 2 and more, n (%)

25,145 (54.49)

18,122 (47.80)

 < 0.001

0.067

Living with a partner, n (%)

30,467 (66.02)

30,730 (81.06)

 < 0.001

 − 0.168

Limitations in IADL: 1 and more, n (%)

9263 (20.07)

4569 (12.05)

 < 0.001

0.108

Chronic diseases: 1 and more, n (%)

22,273 (48.27)

16,526 (43.60)

 < 0.001

0.047

CVD, n (%)

26,340 (57.10)

22,347 (58.96)

 < 0.001

 − 0.019

Body mass index, mean ± SD

26.65 ± 4.99

27.17 ± 4.03

 < 0.001

0.113

Physical inactivity, n (%)

4682 (10.15)

2904 (7.66)

 < 0.001

0.043

Smoking, n (%)

16,040 (34.87)

22,860 (60.48)

 < 0.001

 − 0.256

Alcohol use, n (%)

4180 (9.06)

9146 (24.13)

 < 0.001

 − 0.205

Maximal grip strength, mean (± SD)

26.77 (7.16)

43.91 (10.25)

 < 0.001

1.971

  1. aBinary variable instead of continuous was used for household ratio for comprehensive interpretation of the results.
  2. SD standard deviation, IQR interquartile range, IADL instrumental activities of daily living, CVD cardiovascular disease. Depressive symptoms are defined by 4 and more points on EURO-D scale. Alcohol use is defined as drinking more than 2 glasses of alcohol almost every day. Effect sizes are presented in Cramer’s V when Chi-square tests are employed on binary variables and in Cohen’s d when t-test have been used to compare continuous variables across sex.
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