Table 2 Results of bivariate analysis: distribution of different questionnaire variables by age group

 Year in Italy

9.7 (4.1)

12.2 (5.8)

16.1 (4.3)

0.002

 Occupation

n (%)

< 0.001

  Home care workers

2 (6.2%)

3 (7.3%)

6 (66.7%)

  Cleaners

6 (18.8%)

16 (39.0%)

2 (22.2%)

  Other

20 (62.5%)

17 (41.5%)

0 (0.0%)

  Health care workers

2 (6.2%)

2 (4.9%)

0 (0.0%)

  Unemployed

2 (6.2%)

3 (7.3%)

1 (11.1%)

 Formal education (years)

mean (SD)

13.2 (3.0)

13.3 (3.6)

14.4 (4.7)

0.273

 Health literacy: SILS score > 2

n (%)

3 (9.4%)

7 (17.1%)

3 (33.3%)

0.277

 BMI (kg/m^2)

mean (SD)

22.2 (3.2)

24.6 (3.8)

27.6 (4.2)

< 0.001

 Body Mass Index

n (%)

< 0.001

  Underweight

2 (6.5%)

2 (4.9%)

0 (0.0%)

  Normal weight

25 (80.6%)

22 (53.7%)

2 (22.2%)

  Overweight

3 (9.7%)

13 (31.7%)

4 (44.4%)

  Obese

1 (3.2%)

4 (9.8%)

3 (33.3%)

 Smoking

n (%)

8 (25.0%)

11 (26.8%)

1 (11.1%)

0.063

 Daily alcohol intake (units)

mean (SD)

1.8 (1.6)

1.3 (0.7)

1.1 (0.6)

0.151

 Sport or physical exercise in previous 12 months

n (%)

0.193

  Never

8 (25.0%)

15 (36.6%)

1 (11.1%)

  Less than once a week

3 (9.4%)

6 (14.6%)

2 (22.2%)

  Once a week or more

21 (65.6%)

20 (48.8%)

6 (66.7%)

 Previously diagnosed diseases

n (%)

 Asthma

0 (0.0%)

2 (5.0%)

1 (11.1%)

0.075

 Bronchitis

0 (0.0%)

2 (5.0%)

1 (11.1%)

0.357

 Myocardial infarction

1 (3.1%)

1 (2.5%)

0 (0.0%)

0.733

 Coronary disease

1 (3.1%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0.162

 Hypertension

3 (9.4%)

6 (15.0%)

5 (55.6%)

0.001

 Arthritis/arthrosis

4 (12.5%)

6 (15.0%)

7 (77.8%)

< 0.001

 Lumbar disorders

10 (31.2%)

14 (35.9%)

4 (50.0%)

0.165

 Cervical disorders

6 (18.8%)

13 (32.5%)

4 (50.0%)

0.025

 Diabetes

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (11.1%)

0.024

 Allergies

10 (31.2%)

17 (42.5%)

4 (44.4%)

0.678

 Depression

2 (6.5%)

6 (15.0%)

1 (11.1%)

0.318

 Anxiety

1 (3.1%)

2 (5.0%)

1 (11.1%)

0.249

 Symptoms in previous 6 months

n (%)

  Headache

0.457

   Never

6 (18.8%)

6 (14.6%)

4 (44.4%)

   Sometimes

13 (40.6%)

14 (34.1%)

3 (33.3%)

   Daily

13 (40.6%)

21 (51.2%)

2 (22.2%)

  Trouble sleeping

0.168

   Never

16 (51.6%)

21 (51.2%)

3 (33.3%)

   Sometimes

6 (19.4%)

7 (17.1%)

4 (44.4%)

   Daily

9 (29.0%)

13 (31.7%)

2 (22.2%)

  Extreme fatigue

0.077

   Never

20 (62.5%)

20 (48.8%)

3 (33.3%)

   Sometimes

6 (18.8%)

8 (19.5%)

2 (22.2%)

   Daily

6 (18.8%)

13 (31.7%)

4 (44.4%)

  Lack of appetite

0.651

   Never

27 (84.4%)

31 (75.6%)

6 (66.7%)

   Sometimes

1 (3.1%)

4 (9.8%)

0 (0.0%)

   Daily

4 (12.5%)

6 (14.6%)

3 (33.3%)

  Difficulty concentrating

0.587

   Never

15 (46.9%)

21 (52.5%)

7 (77.8%)

   Sometimes

9 (28.1%)

10 (25.0%)

2 (22.2%)

   Daily

8 (25.0%)

9 (22.5%)

0 (0.0%)

  Gastro-intestinal problems

0.245

   Never

18 (56.2%)

26 (63.4%)

5 (55.6%)

   Sometimes

9 (28.1%)

5 (12.2%)

2 (22.2%)

   Daily

5 (15.6%)

10 (24.4%)

2 (22.2%)

Dizziness

0.653

   Never

15 (46.9%)

20 (48.8%)

5 (55.6%)

   Sometimes

14 (43.8%)

10 (24.4%)

2 (22.2%)

   Daily

3 (9.4%)

11 (26.8%)

2 (22.2%)

  Shortness of breath

0.550

   Never

29 (90.6%)

33 (80.5%)

7 (77.8%)

   Sometimes

2 (6.2%)

3 (7.3%)

1 (11.1%)

   Daily

1 (3.1%)

5 (12.2%)

1 (11.1%)

  Difficulty relaxing

0.077

   Never

18 (56.2%)

27 (65.9%)

4 (44.4%)

   Sometimes

9 (28.1%)

2 (4.9%)

2 (22.2%)

   Daily

5 (15.6%)

12 (29.3%)

3 (33.3%)

  No

–

–

0 (0.0%)

0.325

  Yes

–

–

9 (100.0%)

  No

2 (6.9%)

5 (12.2%)

–

0.458

  Yes

27 (93.1%)

36 (87.8%)

–

GP visits in previous 4 weeks

n (%)

11 (34.4%)

15 (36.6%)

5 (55.6%)

0.062

Specialist visits in previous 4 weeks

n (%)

11 (34.4%)

11 (26.8%)

2 (22.2%)

0.199

Emergency dept. visits in previous 12 months

n (%)

8 (25.0%)

8 (19.5%)

3 (33.3%)

0.599

Hospitalizations in previous 12 months

n (%)

4 (12.5%)

3 (7.3%)

1 (11.1%)

0.633