Table 1. Questions measuring mental health, physical activity, and other health outcomes % missing Concept Questions 2011- 13 Data Type Measures of Life Life satisfaction very low/low or 2.71 Binary mental satisfaction medium/high health Life satisfaction 10 or 11 pt scale 8.35 Categorical (scale changed in 2013) Happiness Happiness 4 pt scale 7.04 Categorical (2011-2 only. Not available 2013) (2013 missing) Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Categorical (2013 only) Scale (2013. Not 2011-2) Measures of Frequency Exercise at least 5 times a week 1.34 Binary physical of physical Exercise at least once per week 1.34 Binary activity activity Sport at least once per week 3.04 Binary Outcomes General General health in past 12 mths 1.23 Categorical that may be health Limiting long-term illness 0.52 Binary associated Disability 8.66 Binary with life satisfaction Accidental fall in the last 12 mths 2.22 Binary and physical activity Weight Body Mass Index category 9.99 Categorical Of the four measures of mental health available, we focus here on the binary life satisfaction variable (‘very low/low’ or This variable was selected ‘medium/high’). because the question format was consistent during the period 2011-2013 and it had least missing data. The variable was excluded because it was not asked ‘Happiness’ in the 2013 survey and the variable Mental Well-Being Scale’ ‘Warwick-Edinburgh was only included in 2013. There are a large number of variables collected in the Bristol Quality of Life survey that are potential explanatory factors in understanding variations in levels of both life satisfaction and physical activity amongst older people in Bristol, and these are tabulated in Table 2. We also acknowledge that the concepts of physical activity and life satisfaction are strongly related, so that physical activity levels may be an explanatory factor for life satisfaction or vice versa. Table 2. Questions measuring factors that may influence life satisfaction and levels of physical activity % missing Concept Questions 2011-13 Data Type Deprivation Index of Multiple deprivation (2010) 1.94 Continuous Social interaction Meet family and friends 1.60 Categorical Talk to family and friends 1.81 Categorical Live alone 4.31 Binary Barriers to getting Safety outdoors after dark 5.65 Categorical out and about Safety outdoors during day 5.52 Categorical Something prevents me from leaving the 3.19 Binary house (the following can be specified)
Table 1. Questions measuring mental health, physical activity, and other health outcomes Concept Questions % missing 2011- 13 Data Type Measures of mental health Life satisfaction Happiness Life satisfaction very low/low or medium/high Life satisfaction 10 or 11 pt scale (scale changed in 2013) Happiness 4 pt scale (2011-2 only. Not available 2013) Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Scale (2013. Not 2011-2) 2.71 8.35 7.04 (2013 missing) (2013 only) Binary Categorical Categorical Categorical Measures of physical activity Frequency of physical activity Exercise at least 5 times a week Exercise at least once per week Sport at least once per week 1.34 1.34 3.04 Binary Binary Binary Outcomes that may be associated with life satisfaction and physical activity General health Weight General health in past 12 mths Limiting long-term illness Disability Accidental fall in the last 12 mths Body Mass Index category 1.23 0.52 8.66 2.22 9.99 Categorical Binary Binary Binary Categorical Of the four measures of mental health available, we focus here on the binary life satisfaction variable (‘very low/low’ or ‘medium/high’). This variable was selected because the question format was consistent during the period 2011-2013 and it had least missing data. The variable ‘Happiness’ was excluded because it was not asked in the 2013 survey and the variable ‘Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale’ was only included in 2013. There are a large number of variables collected in the Bristol Quality of Life survey that are potential explanatory factors in understanding variations in levels of both life satisfaction and physical activity amongst older people in Bristol, and these are tabulated in Table 2. We also acknowledge that the concepts of physical activity and life satisfaction are strongly related, so that physical activity levels may be an explanatory factor for life satisfaction or vice versa. Table 2. Questions measuring factors that may influence life satisfaction and levels of physical activity Concept Questions % missing 2011-13 Data Type Deprivation Social interaction Barriers to getting out and about Index of Multiple deprivation (2010) Meet family and friends Talk to family and friends Live alone Safety outdoors after dark Safety outdoors during day Something prevents me from leaving the house (the following can be specified) 1.94 1.60 1.81 4.31 5.65 5.52 3.19 Continuous Categorical Categorical Binary Categorical Categorical Binary