Table 1  Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis results (N = 3899)

Loneliness (3–9)

3.72(1.35)

3.66(1.33)

3.76(1.37)

−2.34^**

3.56(1.18)

3.85(1.47)

6.72^***

Age (18–103)

51.31(16.72)

51.24(16.69)

51.38(16.76)

−0.25

51.85(17.36)

50.85(16.15)

−1.86^*

Age squared

2912.32(1742.68)

2903.93(1724.40)

2920.16(1759.98)

−0.29

2989.52(1842.51)

2845.91(1649.53)

−1.87^**

Female (%)

51.68

–

–

52.19

51.24

Urban (%)

46.24

45.75

46.7

−0.59

–

–

Married (%)

76.61

77.23

76.03

−0.88

74.49

78.44

−2.91^***

Secondary education or above (%)

65.94

72.29

60

8.16^***

85.08

49.48

−25.22^***

Party member (%)

11.08

15.66

6.8

−8.89^***

18.75

4.48

14.52^***

Income (logged)

8.38(3.81)

9.15(3.18)

7.66(4.20)

12.35^***

9.50(3.33)

7.41(3.94)

−17.74^***

Self-rated health

3.48^***

−8.20^***

 Very bad/bad

21.34

18.95

23.57

14.86

26.91

 Moderate

24.8

24.95

24.67

26.46

23.38

 Good/very good

53.86

56.1

51.76

58.68

49.71

Family size (1–30)

2.86(1.58)

2.86(1.60)

2.85(1.56)

0.16

2.71(1.48)

2.98(1.65)

5.18^***

Pension (%)

72.48

73.51

71.51

1.40

81.7

64.55

−12.17^***

Health insurance (%)

92.25

92.09

92.41

−0.36

93.57

91.13

−2.84^***

N

3899

1884

2015

1803

2096