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Table 1 Characteristics of participants at the baseline by treatment group

From: Promoting social capital, self-management and health literacy in older adults through a group-based intervention delivered in low-income urban areas: results of the randomized trial AEQUALIS

 

Total (n=360)

Intervention group (n=194)

Control group (n=164)

P value

Demographic characteristics

 Women, % (n)

81.39 (293)

82.65 (162)

79.88 (131)

0.500

 Age, in years, mean (SD)

73.63 (6.92)

73.41 (6.92)

73.88 (7.02)

0.531

 Education level, % (n) (without or only primary studies)

82.23 (296)

84.18 (165)

79.88 (131)

0.548

 Born in the same city where currently living, % (n)

21.39 (77)

23.47 (46)

18.90 (31)

0.301

 Marital status

   

0.369

  Widow, % (n)

41.11 (148)

44.39 (87)

37.20 (61)

 

  Years of widowhood, median (Q1-Q3)

7,8 (3–15)

6 (3–14)

10 (3–16.5)

 

  Same tabulation as "marital status" Living alone, % (n)

40.83 (147)

40.31 (79)

41.46 (68)

0.715

  Same tabulation as "marital status" Caring for other people, % (n)

46.94 (169)

50.51 (99)

42.68 (70)

0.198

Health status

 Self-perceived health (SF-12-1)a, % (n)

   

0.291

  Very good

0.28 (1)

0.51 (1)

0 (0)

 

  Good

2.22 (8)

1.02 (2)

3.66% (6)

 

  Fair

77.78 (280)

78.06 (153)

77.44% (127)

 

  Poor

19.72 (71)

20.41 (40)

18.90% (31)

 

 Self-perceived health (EQ-5D VAS)b, mean (SD)

51.31 (18.59)

49.97 (18.62)

52.89 (18.48)

0.140

 SF-12a Physical component, mean (SD)

36.49 (9.55)

36.59 (9.62)

36.36 (9.50)

0.829

 SF-12a Mental component, mean (SD)

40.04 (13.49)

38.38 (14.11)

42.02 (12.44)

0.013*

 Self-management (ASA-R)c, mean (SD)

67.94 (12.06)

66.93 (12.07)

69.30 (11.97)

0.124

Psychosocial characteristics

 Social support

  Extension of social networkd, median (Q1-Q3)

4 (3.5–5)

4 (3–5)

4 (4–5)

0.288

  Emotional supporte, median (Q1-Q3)

3 (2–4)

3 (2–4)

3 (2–4)

0.872

  Instrumental supporte, median (Q1-Q3)

1 (0–1)

1 (0–1)

1 (0–1)

0.421

  Informational supporte, median (Q1-Q3)

1 (0–2)

1 (0–2)

1 (0–2)

0.062

 Social participationf, % (n)

   

0.950

  Low

29.44 (106)

28.57 (56)

30.49 (50)

 

  Moderate

43.06 (155)

46.43 (91)

39.02 (64)

 

  High

21.94 (79)

19.39 (38)

25.00 (41)

 

Same tabulation as "social participation" Emotional Wellbeing (WEMWBS)g, mean (SD)

53.78 (8.94)

52.93 (8.65)

54.91 (9.24)

0.135

 Loneliness intensityh (De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale), % (n)

   

0.508

  Without loneliness

33.61 (121)

32.65 (64)

34.76 (57)

 

  Moderate

63.06 (227)

63.27 (124)

62.80 (103)

 

  Severe

2.50 (9)

3.57 (7)

1.22 (2)

 

  Very severe

0.56 (2)

0.51 (1)

0.61 (1)

 

Same tabulation as "social participation" Depressive symptomatology (GDS-5)i, % (n)

57.22 (206)

59.69 (117)

54.27 (89)

0.505

Number of chronic diseases, median (Q1-Q3)

5 (3–8)

5 (3–8)

5 (3.75–8)

0.913

Number of chronic medications, median (Q1-Q3)

6 (4–8)

6 (4–8)

6 (4–8)

0.493

Anxiolytics consumption, % (n)

42.22 (152)

45.92 (90)

37.80 (62)

0.300

Antidepressants consumption, % (n)

30.28 (109)

37.24 (73)

21.95 (36)

0.006**

Use of health services (last 12 months)

 Visits to nurse, median (Q1-Q3)

5.5 (2–10)

5 (2–9)

6 (3–11)

0.088

 Visits to general practitioner, median (Q1-Q3)

9 (5–13)

9 (5–13)

8 (5–13)

0.912

 Visits to emergency units, median (Q1-Q3)

0 (0–1)

0.5 (0–2)

0 (0–1)

0.120

  1. Boldface indicates between groups statistical significance at baseline
  2. *P < 0.05
  3. **P < 0.01
  4. aSF-12: Short Form 12 Health Survey
  5. bVisual Analog Scale of the EuroQOL: Range 1–100. Higher values indicate higher self-perceived health
  6. cAppraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale (ASA-R): Range 24–120. Higher values indicate higher self-management
  7. dSocial Resources Inventory in Older Adults. Number of sources of relationship from 0 to 5 (partner, children, other relatives, neighbours and friends)
  8. eSocial Resources Inventory in Older Adults. Number of sources of relationship providing emotional/instrumental or informational support from 0 to 5 (partner, children, other relatives, neighbours and friends)
  9. fEste II Subjective Social Participation Index
  10. gWarwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Higher scores indicate a higher level of mental well-being
  11. h11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale
  12. iGeriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5). A score of 2 or more indicates depressive symptomatology