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Table 1 Description of the sample and variables used in the analysis

From: Is mid-life social participation associated with cognitive function at age 50? Results from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS)

 

Number

Frequencies (%)/Mean (S.D)

% missing

Cognition

 Standardized score at age 11

 

8448

0.44 (3.12)

7.4

 Standardized score at age 50

 

8751

0.02 (2.41)

4.0

Social network

Age 33

  

 Has at least 1 friend/ neighbour/ colleague could turn to for advice (Number of people showed only for description; variable used as dichotomous)

 

7961

12.7

No/No one mentioned

 

56.3

 

Yes/Someone mentioned

 

43.7

 

0 people mentioned

 

56.3

 

1 person mentioned

 

28.2

 

2 people

 

12.2

 

3 people

 

2.7

 

4 people

 

0.3

 

 Has at least 1 member of family could turn to for advice (Number of people showed only for description; variable used as dichotomous)

 

7961

12.7

No/No one mentioned

 

8.7

 

Yes/Someone mentioned

 

91.3

 

0 people mentioned

 

8.7

 

1 person mentioned

 

21.8

 

2 people

 

25.5

 

3 people

 

28.2

 

4 people

 

15.8

 

 Number of civic group activities participated in (used as continual variable; categories showed only for description)

 

7961

0.22 (0.52)

12.7

No activity

 

82.7

 

1 activity

 

13.8

 

2 activities

 

2.8

 

3+

 

0.7

 

Age 42

   

 Has somebody could turn to for advice/support

 

8641

 

7.2

No

 

3.3

 

Yes, family member

 

75.0

 

Yes, friend/neighbour/colleague

 

21.7

 

Age 50

  

 Number of civic group activities participated in (used as continual variable; categories showed only for description)

 

9117

0.49 (0.80)

0.1

No activity

 

65.1

 

1 activity

 

24.6

 

2 activities

 

7.5

 

3+

 

2.8

 

Health and health behaviour

Age 33

  

 Self-rated health

 

7843

14.0

Poor

 

1.3

 

Fair

 

11.1

 

Good

 

52.2

 

Excellent

 

35.4

 

Age 42

  

 Mental well-being (Malaise score; 9-item version)

 

8412

7.8

Better (0–3)

 

88.5

 

Worse (4+)

 

11.5

 

 Frequency of drinking alcohol

 

8459

 

Never

 

1.2

 

Not now/ special occasions

 

16.0

 

Once in a week

 

29.9

 

More often

 

52.9

 

 Frequency of smoking

 

8464

7.2

No

 

46.1

 

Used to/ occasionally

 

30.2

 

Daily

 

23.7

 

 Takes part in sporting activities and frequency

 

8455

7.3

Not regularly/less often than once in month

 

27.7

 

2–3 times in month

 

6.5

 

Once in week

 

18.8

 

2–3 times in week

 

21.2

 

4 times in week/every day

 

25.8

 

Socio-economic background

Age 11

  

 Father’s (male head) social class

 

8249

9.5

Professional

 

5.8

 

Managerial-technical

 

19.2

 

Skilled non-manual

 

9.5

 

Skilled manual

 

40.2

 

Partly skilled

 

15.8

 

Unskilled

 

5.0

 

No male head

 

4.5

 

 Housing tenure

 

8342

8.6

Owner occupied

 

48.1

 

Council rented

 

39.8

 

Private rented

 

7.3

 

Rent free

 

4.8

 

Age 42

  

 Own social class

 

7297

20.0

Professional

 

5.6

 

Managerial-technical

 

38.9

 

Skilled non-manual

 

21.6

 

Skilled manual

 

19.2

 

Partly skilled

 

11.9

 

Unskilled

 

2.8

 

Age 50

  

 Highest achieved qualification

 

9113

0.1

None

 

11.0

 

CSE or equivalent

 

11.2

 

GCSE or equivalent

 

25.4

 

AS/A level or equivalent

 

17.2

 

Degree/teaching diploma/vocational NVQ4 diploma

 

30.8

 

Higher Degree/vocational NVQ5 diploma

 

4.4

 

Other

Gender

 

9119

0

Male

 

49.0

 

Female

 

51.0

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