Table 1

Demographic and clinical characteristics of TJR patients with and without co-morbidity when placed on the waiting list. Independent Sample T-test or Chi-square test

Characteristics
Patients with co-morbidity
Patients without co-morbidity
P-value


(n = 649–6621)
(n = 242–2441)

Age, years (mean ± SD)
67 ± 10
64 ± 11
0.000***
Females [n, (%)]
422(63)
132 (54)
0.008**
Marital status [n, (%)]



     Married
411 (62)
160 (65)
0.155
Housing [n,%]



     Living alone
227 (34)
62 (25)
0.008**
Basic education [n,%]



     Low level
544 (82)
190(78)
0.130
Professional examination [n,%]



     Low level
486 (75)
175 (73)
0.279
Employment status {n, (%)]



     Retired
546 (82)
172(71)
0.000***
Health status [n, (%)]



     Fair or poor
497 (75)
133 (55)
0.000***
VAS2 (mean ± SD)
62 ± 26
76 ± 24
0.000***
BMI3 (mean ± SD)
28.8 ± 4
27.2 ± 4
0.000***

1Number of observation varies due to missing values; 2VAS, visual analog scale (100 the worst, 0 the best value); 3BMI, body mass index (wt/ht2); ** P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001

Tuominen et al. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2007 5:16   doi:10.1186/1477-7525-5-16