Table 1 Characteristics of public assistance recipients aged 65 years or older stratified by sex　(n = 3,165)
|  |  | Male (n = 1,483) | Female (n = 1,682) |
|---|---|---|---|
Variables | Â | n (%) | n (%) |
Age (years) | 65 − 74 | 905(61.0) | 734(43.6) |
75 – 84 | 513(34.6) | 698(41.5) | |
85 and over | 65(4.4) | 250(14.9) | |
Nationality | Japanese | 1,462(98.6) | 1,650(98.1) |
Foreign | 21(1.4) | 32(1.9) | |
Living alone | Yes | 1,082(73.0) | 1,186(70.5) |
No | 401(27.0) | 496(29.5) | |
Disability/ disease | Physical disability | 140(9.4) | 130(7.7) |
Mental disability | 65(4.4) | 55(3.3) | |
Intellectual disability | 2(0.1) | 4(0.2) | |
Psychiatric disorder | 39(2.6) | 87(5.2) | |
Other physical diseases | 325(21.9) | 333(19.8) | |
Alcoholic dependency | 12(0.8) | 2(0.1) | |
None | 900(60.7) | 1,071(63.7) | |
History of hospitalization | Yes | 77(5.2) | 100(5.9) |
No | 1,406(94.8) | 1,582(94.1) | |
Long-term care status | Support need | 74(5.0) | 120(7.1) |
Long-term care need | 255(17.2) | 385(22.9) | |
None | 1,154(77.8) | 1,177(70.0) | |
Working | Yes | 138(9.3) | 121(7.2) |
No | 1,345(90.7) | 1,561(92.8) | |
Previous use of public assistance | Yes | 214(14.4) | 240(14.3) |
No | 1,269(85.6) | 1,442(85.7) | |
Reasons for starting public assistance | Decreased income | 762(51.4) | 859(51.1) |
Disease | 383(25.8) | 368(21.9) | |
Unemployment | 131(8.8) | 128(7.6) | |
Divorce/bereavement | 43(2.9) | 61(3.6) | |
Other reasons | 164(11.1) | 266(15.8) | |
History of facility admission | Yes | 62(4.2) | 97(5.8) |
No | 1,421(95.8) | 1,585(94.2) | |
Types of houses | Rental house | 988(66.6) | 912(54.2) |
Public house | 353(23.8) | 561(33.4) | |
Own house | 2(0.1) | 5(0.3) | |
Other houses | 140(9.4) | 204(12.1) | |
Working income* | Above median | 34(2.3) | 30(1.8) |
Below median | 35(2.4) | 31(1.8) | |
None | 1,414(95.3) | 1,621(96.4) | |
Pension†| Above median | 239(16.1) | 416(24.7) |
Below median | 241(16.3) | 417(24.8) | |
None | 1,003(67.6) | 849(50.5) |