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Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample (n = 712) stratified for weather sensitivity 1

From: Self-perceived weather sensitivity and joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis in six European countries: results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA)

 

Weather-sensitive participants

Non-weather-sensitive participants

p-value

(n = 469)

(n = 243)

Socio-demographic characteristics

   

Age in years (Mean (SD) (range))

73.4 (5.6) (65–85)

73.7 (5.3) (65–85)

0.46

Sex (female) (n (%))

339 (75.9)

145 (64.0)

<0.01

Education (≥ secondary education) (n (%))

199 (42.9)

150 (61.1)

<0.001

Partner status (yes) (n (%))

305 (64.2)

159 (63.9)

0.91

Psychological characteristics and physical activity

   

Total HADS–A score (0–21) (mean (SD))

6.5 (4.3)

4.9 (3.7)

<0.001

Total HADS–D score (0–21) (mean (SD))

4.8 (3.5)

4.0 (3.4)

<0.01

6–item Pearlin Mastery score (0–24) (mean (SD))

15.5 (5.1)

17.0 (4.7)

<0.001

Outdoor physical activity in minutes per day (median (IQR))

40.2 (18.6–84.2)

42.9 (21.4–74.6)

0.72

Health characteristics and body composition

   

Pain medication use (yes) (n (%))

210 (44.8)

95 (39.8)

0.20

Number of days with additional pain medication (0–14) (mean (SD))

5.4 (5.7)

3.8 (5.2)

<0.001

Length in meters (mean (SD))

1.62 (0.09)

1.63 (0.10)

0.02

Weight in kilograms (mean (SD))

74.5 (14.4)

76.7 (14.7)

0.06

BMI in kg/m2 (mean (SD))

28.5 (5.0)

28.8 (5.2)

0.55

Chronic diseases (≥2) (n (%))

155 (32.6)

75 (32.1)

0.92

Local climate

   

Local climate: Cold and wet (n (%))

83 (56.9)

66 (43.1)

Local climate: Warm and wet (n (%))

272 (67.7)

145 (32.3)

Local climate: Warm and dry (n (%))

114 (76.6)

32 (23.4)

Joint pain perception

   

Self–reported joint pain (0–10) (mean (SD))

4.1 (2.4)

3.1 (2.4)

<0.001

Country: Sweden

2.7 (1.9)

2.0 (2.0)

0.04

Country: Germany

3.6 (2.1)

3.1 (1.4)

0.28

Country: Italy

4.3 (2.3)

4.0 (2.4)

0.57

Country: The Netherlands

4.0 (1.9)

3.0 (2.1)

0.01

Country: Spain

5.4 (2.5)

5.1 (2.8)

0.48

Country: United Kingdom

4.1 (2.6)

2.9 (2.3)

0.04

Season: Spring

4.4 (2.3)

3.5 (2.5)

<0.01

Season: Summer

4.0 (2.3)

2.8 (2.4)

<0.01

Season: Autumn

3.4 (2.3)

2.5 (2.2)

0.03

Season: Winter

4.6 (2.7)

3.3 (2.6)

0.01

  1. 1Descriptive statistics are weighted, n is non–weighted. The sample size may vary for some variables, because of missing values.