Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population (n = 407)

Gender: male, n (%)

153 (37.6)

Age, mean (SD)

76.8 (6.3)

Living arrangement: living together, n (%)

242 (59.5)

Highest education: n (%)

  Primary

121 (29.7)

  Secondary

199 (48.9)

  College/university

87 (21.4)

Number of chronic diseases: ≥3, n (%)

197 (48.4)

Chronic diseases: top 3, n (%)

 Chronic ischemic heart disease, heart failure

254 (62.4)

 Diabetes mellitus

152 (37.3)

 Chronic respiratory disease

113 (27.8)

Number of joint pain sites, (1–8), mean (SD)

4.0 (1.9)

Worst pain site: top 3, n (%)

 Back

109 (27.2)

 Knee

73 (18.2)

 Hand/wrist

61 (15.2)