Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics, sensory functions, cognition, communication, and functionality of Portuguese centenarians by sex

Marital status

 Married

27

2.2

59

21.6

<0.001

 Single

152

12.1

20

7.3

 Widowed

1061

84.7

190

69.6

 Divorced

13

1.0

4

1.5

Education (years completed)

 Illiterate

815

65.0

125

45.8

<0.001

 4 years

327

26.1

109

39.9

 6 years

33

2.6

9

3.3

 9 years

39

3.1

10

3.7

 12 years

20

1.6

10

3.7

 Higher education

19

1.5

10

3.7

Residence

 Community

869

69.4

215

78.8

0.002

 Institution

384

30.6

58

21.2

Income source

 Pension

1183

94.4

261

95.6

0.056

 Family support

39

3.1

2

0.7

 Properties or business

11

0.9

3

1.1

 Social support

8

0.6

1

0.4

 Other

12

1.0

6

2.2

Religion

 Catholic

1088

86.8

228

83.5

0.007

 Other

19

1.5

6

2.2

 Without religion

13

1.1

11

4.0

 Not available

133

10.6

28

10.3

Sensory functions, cognition, communication and functionality

Vision

 No/Mild difficulty

382

30.5

116

42.5

<0.001

 Great difficulty

739

59.0

149

54.6

 Can not

132

10.5

8

2.9

Hearing

 No/Mild difficulty

335

23.7

88

32.2

0.049

 Great difficulty

798

63.7

169

61.9

 Can not

120

9.6

16

5.9

Walk/Climb stairs

 No/Mild difficulty

176

14.0

72

26.4

<0.001

 Great difficulty

562

44.9

143

52.4

 Can not

515

41.1

58

21.2

Memory/Concentration

 No/Mild difficulty

456

36.4

141

51.6

<0.001

 Great difficulty

486

38.8

108

39.6

 Can not

311

24.8

24

8.8

Bathing/Dressing

 No/Mild difficulty

207

16.5

87

31.9

<0.001

 Great difficulty

421

33.6

101

37.0

 Can not

625

49.9

85

31.1

Understand others/Being understood

 No/Mild difficulty

497

39.7

152

55.7

<0.001

 Great difficulty

504

40.2

101

37.0

 Can not

252

20.1

20

7.3