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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 Aug 7.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Intern Med. 2020 Dec 29;174(3):298–307. doi: 10.7326/M20-4447

Table 1.

Characteristics of STEP-KOA Participants, Overall and By Arm

Characteristic Total Sample (N=345)
Mean ± SD or N (%)
STEP-KOA (N=230)
Mean ± SD or N (%)
AE Control (N=115)
Mean ± SD or N (%)
Demographic and Clinical Characteristics
Age 60.0 (10.3) 59.9 (9.9) 60.2 (11.1)
Female 53 (15.4) 36 (15.7) 17 (14.8)
Non-White Race* 229 (67.3) 155 (68.3) 74 (65.5)
Hispanic ethnicity 8 (2.3) 4 (1.7) 4 (3.5)
Some education above high school 275 (79.7) 184 (80.0) 91 (79.1)
Working (part or full time) 124 (35.9) 81 (35.2) 43 (37.4)
Married or living with partner 217 (62.9) 149 (64.8) 68 (59.1)
Low Perceived Income§ 78 (22.6) 56 (24.3) 22(19.1)
Comfort with Internet Use 4.3(1.1) 4.3(1.1) 4.3(1.2)
Greenville VA Healthcare Center Patient 76(22.0) 50 (21.7) 26 (22.6)
Body Mass Index (kg/m2) 33.9 (7.4) 33.9 (7.5) 33.9 (7.1)
Number of Self-Reported Comorbidities^ 3.90 (1.6) 3.9 (1.6) 3.9 (1.6)
Fair or Poor Self-Rated Health 101 (29.3) 65 (28.3) 36 (31.3)
Duration of Arthritis Symptoms (years) 16.4 (11.2) 16.3 (11.6) 16.6 (12.4)
 
Primary and Secondary Outcomes
WOMAC Total (Range 0–96) 47.5 (16.3) 47.8 (16.6) 46.8 (15.9)
WOMAC Pain (Range 0–20) 9.9 (3.4) 10.0 (3.4) 9.7 (3.5)
WOMAC Function (Range 0–68) 33.3 (12.4) 33.5 (12.7) 32.8 (12.0)
30-Second Chair Stand Test (# stands) 7.8 (3.8) 7.8 (3.7) 7.8 (4.0)
40m Fast-Paced Walk (seconds) 40.7 (16.9) 40.1 (17.4) 40.1 (16.0)
Timed Up-and-Go Test (seconds) 12.3 (5.9) 12.3 (5.9) 12.3 (5.8)
Stair Climb Test (seconds) 9.2 (4.8) 9.1 (4.6) 9.3 (5.2)
6-Minute Walk Test (meters) 308 (131) 306 (135) 310 (125)
Physical Activity for the Elderly Scale 148 (91.2) 151 (94.0) 142 (85.4)
*

Majority African American: Total N=219, STEP=KOA N=149, AE N=70

§

Self-report of “just meet basic expenses” or “don’t even have enough to meet basic expenses.”

1=”not at all” to 5=”very” comfortable

Other participants’ primary clinical site was the Durham VA Healthcare Center

^

From Self-Administered Comorbidity Questionnaire (Sangha et al., 2003); list of 13 medical conditions plus up to 2 optional “other” conditions WOMAC = Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index

Missing data: 2 participants missing age (STEP-KOA n=2), 5 missing race (STEP-KOA n=3, AE Control n=2), 4 missing ethnicity (STEP-KOA n=2, AE Control n=2), 4 missing perceived income (STEP-KOA n=3, AE Control n=1), 28 missing comfort with internet use (STEP-KOA n=19, AE Control n=9), 1 missing self-rated health (STEP-KOA n=1), 3 missing duration of arthritis symptoms (STEP-KOA n=1, AE Control n=2). 1 participant missing WOMAC total (STEP-KOA n=1), 1 missing chair stand test (STEP-KOA n=1), 3 missing 40 meter walk (STEP-KOA n=1, AE Control n=2), 2 missing timed up-and-go test (AE Control n=2), 22 missing stair climb test (STEP-KOA n=16, AE Control n=6), 1 missing 6-minute walk test (STEP-KOA n=1), and 1 missing PASE total (STEP-KOA n=1)

Normative values for physical function tests: 30-second chair stand: 13–14 stands in adults age 60–79; 40m walk test: 19–23 seconds in adults age 60–79; Timed Up-and Go: 8–9 seconds in adults age 60–79;Stair climb test:8.7–10.2 for healthy men and women; 6 minute walk test: 471–572m for adults age 60–79