Characteristics of the poor elderly (n=3760)
| Variables | N | Per cent |
| Predisposing variables | ||
| Gender | ||
| Male | 1804 | 47.98 |
| Female | 1956 | 52.02 |
| Age group (years) | ||
| 60~69 | 2087 | 56.82 |
| 70~79 | 1228 | 33.43 |
| ≥80 | 358 | 9.75 |
| Education | ||
| Illiterate | 1524 | 40.53 |
| Primary school | 1626 | 43.24 |
| Middle school | 386 | 10.27 |
| High school and above | 224 | 5.96 |
| Marital status | ||
| Married | 2851 | 75.82 |
| Unmarried | 909 | 24.18 |
| Enabling variables | ||
| Number of children | ||
| 0 | 622 | 16.54 |
| 1~2 | 963 | 25.61 |
| ≥3 | 2175 | 57.85 |
| Health insurance | ||
| Uninsured | 512 | 13.62 |
| UEMI | 144 | 3.83 |
| URMI | 191 | 5.08 |
| NCMI | 2725 | 72.47 |
| Private MI | 23 | 0.61 |
| Other | 165 | 4.39 |
| Pension | ||
| No | 1200 | 31.91 |
| Yes | 2560 | 68.09 |
| Residence | ||
| Rural | 2994 | 79.63 |
| Urban | 766 | 20.37 |
| Region | ||
| Eastern area | 1086 | 29.57 |
| Central area | 880 | 23.96 |
| Western area | 1707 | 46.47 |
| Traffic time for outpatient service (min) | ||
| <15 | 1237 | 33.69 |
| 15~60 | 1583 | 43.11 |
| >60 | 852 | 23.20 |
| Traffic time for inpatient service (min) | ||
| <15 | 674 | 18.37 |
| 15~60 | 1896 | 51.66 |
| >60 | 1100 | 29.97 |
| Need variables | ||
| Chronic disease | ||
| 0 | 787 | 21.44 |
| 1~2 | 1790 | 48.77 |
| ≥3 | 1093 | 29.78 |
| Self-reported health status | ||
| Poor | 899 | 24.48 |
| Fair | 1938 | 52.78 |
| Good | 835 | 22.74 |
| Physical disability | ||
| No | 1922 | 52.34 |
| Yes | 1750 | 47.66 |
| ADL | ||
| No difficulty | 2120 | 56.38 |
| Difficulties | 1640 | 43.62 |
| Lifestyle variables | ||
| Smoke | ||
| No | 2036 | 54.15 |
| Yes | 1724 | 45.85 |
| Drink | ||
| No | 2941 | 78.22 |
| Yes | 819 | 21.78 |
| Physical examination | ||
| No | 2050 | 55.83 |
| Yes | 1622 | 44.17 |
| Sample | ||
| N | 3760 | 100.00 |
ADLs, activities of daily living; private MI, private commercial medical insurance ; UEMI, urban employee medical insurance; URMI, urban resident medical insurance .