Baseline characteristics of study patients
| Variables | Control group (n=553) | Intervention group (n=633) | Total (n=1186) |
| Age, mean±SD | 64.0±15.4 | 63.9±15.6 | 64.0±15.5 |
| Gender, n (%) | |||
| Male | 257 (46.5) | 303 (47.9) | 560 (47.2) |
| Female | 296 (53.5) | 330 (52.1) | 626 (52.8) |
| Education, n (%) | |||
| No studies | 129 (23.3) | 146 (23.1) | 275 (23.2) |
| Primary | 201 (36.3) | 258 (40.8) | 459 (38.7) |
| High school | 125 (22.6) | 151 (23.9) | 276 (23.3) |
| Vocational degree | 13 (2.4) | 9 (1.4) | 22 (1.9) |
| University | 85 (15.4) | 69 (10.9) | 154 (13.0) |
| Working status, n (%) | |||
| Paid employment | 137 (24.8) | 138 (21.8) | 275 (23.2) |
| Paid employment but on sick leave | 13 (2.4) | 21 (3.3) | 34 (2.9) |
| Unemployed | 51 (9.2) | 62 (9.8) | 113 (9.5) |
| Retired | 320 (57.9) | 374 (59.1) | 694 (58.5) |
| Student | 32 (5.8) | 38 (6.0) | 70 (5.9) |
| Clinical condition, n (%) | |||
| Hypertension | 219 (39.6) | 283 (44.7) | 502 (42.3) |
| Asthma | 180 (32.5) | 205 (32.4) | 385 (32.5) |
| COPD | 154 (27.8) | 145 (22.9) | 299 (25.2) |
| Medications prescribed for the studied disease*, mean (SD) | 1.84 (0.98) | 1.91 (1.08) | 1.88 (1.04) |
| Total number of prescribed medications, mean (SD) | 5.72 (3.48) | 5.69 (3.32) | 5.71 (3.39) |
| Total number of diseases†, mean (SD) | 2.58 (1.45) | 2.55 (1.37) | 2.57 (1.41) |
*Hypertension, asthma or COPD.
†Number of all chronic diseases per patient.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.