Table 1

The characteristics of the study sample


All (n = 4163)
Male (n = 1997)
Female (n = 2166)
P


No. (%)
No. (%)%
No. (%)


Age group



< 0.0001
15–24
1420 (34)
681 (34)
739 (34)

25–44
1614 (39)
721 (36)
893 (41)

45–64
882 (21)
446 (22)
436 (20)

≥ 65
247 (6)
149 (8)
98 (5)

Mean (SD)
35.1 (16.0)
36.1 (16.9)
34.1 (15.1)
< 0.0001
Marital status



< 0.0001
Single
1601 (38)
827 (47)
774 (36)

Married
2406 (58)
1149 (52)
1257 (58)

Widowed/divorced
156 (4)
21 (1)
135 (6)

Educational level (years)



< 0.0001
No education
280 (7)
100 (5)
180 (8)

First level (1–5)
475 (11)
211 (11)
264 (12)

Second level (6–9)
901 (22)
460 (23)
441 (21)

Third level (10–12)
1695 (41)
783 (39)
912 (42)

Fourth level (>12)
812 (19)
443 (22)
369 (17)

Mean (SD)
10.0 (4.5)
10.4 (4.3)
9.6 (4.5)
< 0.0001
Self-reported health



< 0.0001
Excellent/very good
1450 (35)
803 (40)
647 (30)

Good
1405 (34)
655 (33)
750 (34)

Fair/poor
1308 (31)
539 (27)
769 (36)

Chronic diseases



0.004
Yes
296 (7)
117 (6)
179 (8)

No
3867 (93)
1880 (94)
1987 (92)

Diseases (n = 296)



0.01
Hypertension
31 (11)
7 (6)
24 (13)

Other cardiovascular diseases
78 (26)
43 (37)
35 (20)

Diabetes
22 (7)
8 (7)
14 (8)

Musculoskeletal disorders
95 (32)
34 (29)
61 (34)

Cancer
5 (2)
0 (0)
5 (3)

Neurological and psycho-logical diseases
45 (15)
19 (16)
26 (15)

Chronic respiratory diseases
20 (7)
6 (5)
14 (8)


Montazeri et al. BMC Research Notes 2008 1:50   doi:10.1186/1756-0500-1-50