Sample characteristics of persons who experienced the death of a spouse between 1998 and 2002, Finland
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main sample | n=19 185 | n=5773 (30.1%) | n=13 412 (69.1%) |
| Year of birth, mean (SD) | 1923.2 (5.8) | 1921.7 (6.4) | 1923.8 (5.5) |
| Age at entry, mean (SD) | 74.8 (5.9) | 76.2 (6.4) | 74.2 (5.6) |
| Age at widowhood, mean (SD) | 76.3 (5.9) | 77.7 (6.4) | 75.7 (5.6) |
| Education level | |||
| Tertiary | 8.5% | 12.1% | 6.9% |
| Intermediate | 12.8% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Basic or less | 78.7% | 76.0% | 79.8% |
| Hospitalised for IHD (*) | 8.4% | 11.3% | 7.2% |
| Subsample (†) | n=611 | n=650 (40.3%) | n=961 (59.7%) |
| Year of birth, mean (SD) | 1920.9 (6.1) | 1919.9 (6.3) | 1921.6 (5.8) |
| Age at entry, mean (SD) | 77.0 (6.1) | 78.0 (6.4) | 76.3 (5.8) |
| Age at widowhood, mean (SD) | 78.4 (6.1) | 79.5 (6.4) | 77.7 (5.7) |
| Education level | |||
| Tertiary | 6.3% | 8.2% | 5.0% |
| Intermediate | 11.0% | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| Basic or less | 82.7% | 81.1% | 83.9% |
(*) Proportion hospitalised for IHD 18 months before or after widowhood.
(†) All individuals had one or more hospitalisations for IHD 18 months before or after widowhood.
IHD, ischaemic heart disease.