Descriptive characteristics of respondents
| Respondents (n=863) | |
|---|---|
| Age (years) | |
| 50–64 | 245 (28) |
| 65–74 | 367 (43) |
| 75+ | 251 (29) |
| Female | 478 (55) |
| Lives alone | 185 (21) |
| Currently in full-time or part-time paid employment | 196 (24) |
| Occupational class* | |
| Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations | 203 (25) |
| Intermediate occupations | 190 (23) |
| Routine and manual occupations | 418 (52) |
| Perceived financial strain: ‘quite comfortably off’† | 150 (17) |
| Self-rated health: fair/poor | 224 (26) |
| Number of self-reported comorbidities (0–22): median (IQR) | 4 (2, 6) |
| HADS (0–21): median (IQR) | |
| Anxiety | 5 (2.5, 8) |
| Depression | 3 (1, 6) |
| Hip pain in past 12 months | 483 (56) |
| Knee pain in past 12 months | 633 (73) |
| Hand pain in past 12 months | 589 (68) |
| Time since onset of joint problem (years) | |
| <1 | 32 (4) |
| 1–5 | 243 (28) |
| 6–10 | 241 (28) |
| >10 | 336 (39) |
| Never consulted GP for joint problem | 141 (16) |
| Consulted GP for joint problem in past 12 months | 434 (50) |
Figures are numbers (percentage) of respondents unless otherwise stated.
*Standard occupational classification based on current/last job title.71 ,72
†From Thomas.70
GP, general practitioner; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.69