Patients’ Characteristics at Baseline, by Group
| Characteristic | Intervention Group (n = 126) | Control Group (n = 121) | P Valuea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 61 (13.5) | 59 (12.9) | .14 |
| Sex, male, No. (%) | 58 (46.0) | 44 (36.4) | .12 |
| Chronic conditions, mean (SD), No. | 5.8 (2.7) | 6.1 (2.7) | .38 |
| Disease burden, DBMA score, mean (SD)b | 12.6 (7.9) | 14.3 (9.0) | .13 |
| Married/living with a partner, No. (%) | 80 (63.5) | 75 (62.5) | .22 |
| Education, No. (%) | .51 | ||
| Not graduated from high school | 52 (41.3) | 45 (37.2) | |
| Graduated from high school or higher education | 74 (58.7) | 76 (62.8) | |
| Occupation, No. (%) | .34 | ||
| Work | 32 (25.8) | 26 (22.0) | |
| Without work | 35 (28.2) | 46 (39.0) | |
| Retired | 57 (46.0) | 46 (39.0) | |
| Annual household income, No. (%) | .11 | ||
| <Can$20,000 | 32 (26.4) | 38 (31.4) | |
| Can$20,000–Can$49,999 | 62 (51.2) | 46 (38.0) | |
| ≥Can$50,000 | 27 (22.3) | 37 (30.6) | |
| Perception of economic situation, No. (%) | .20 | ||
| Comfortable | 23 (18.3) | 28 (23.1) | |
| Sufficient to meet their needs | 73 (57.9) | 57 (47.1) | |
| Poor/very poor | 30 (23.8) | 36 (29.8) | |
| At risk for mental health problems (HADS score ≥16)c, No. (%) | 39 (31.2) | 47 (38.8) | .21 |
| Low health literacy (NVS score <4),d No. (%) | 84 (68.3) | 80 (66.7) | .79 |
Can$ = Canadian dollars; DBMA = Disease Burden Morbidity Assessment; HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; NVS = Newest Vital Sign.
↵a Difference between groups assessed with a t test.
↵b DBMA scores range from 1 to 48, with higher scores indicating greater disease burden.
↵c HADS scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety and depression.
↵d NVS scores range from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater health literacy.