Table 1.

Distribution of characteristics of general practitioners and patients randomised to two groups. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise

Characteristic	Intervention group	Control group
General practitioners	n=21	n=21
Men	19 (90)	17 (81)
Women	2 (9)	4 (19)
Age (years):
⩾30	4 (19)	4 (19)
⩾40	8 (38)	6 (29)
⩾50	5 (24)	8 (38)
⩾60	4 (19.0)	3 (14.3)
Years at clinic (mean SE)	17.6 (2.82)	15.3 (1.97)
Billing style:
Bulk bill all patients	16 (76)	6 (29)
Bulk bill card holders	4 (19)	8 (38)
Discretionary charging	1 (5)	7 (33)
No of doctors in practice:
Solo	8 (38)	9 (43)
2-4	9 (43)	10 (48)
⩾5	4 (19)	2 (10)
Average patients seen per week:
<150	7 (33)	12 (57)
151-200	7 (33)	7 (33)
>201	7 (33)	2 (10)
Average patients aged >65 per week:
<30	7 (33)	4 (19)
31-45	4 (19)	7 (33)
>45	10 (48)	10 (48)
Patients at baseline	n=135	n=132
Men	60 (44)	63 (48)
Women	75 (56)	69 (52)
Patients in trial sample	n=121	n=112
Men	55 (46)	52 (46)
Women	66 (54)	60 (54)
Age (years; mean SE)	72.9 (0.57)	74.2 (0.62)
Higher education:
Yes	38 (31)	26 (23)
No	80 (66)	85 (76)
Living arrangements:
Live alone	38 (31)	44 (39)
With spouse	61 (50)	54 (48)
With children, relatives, or friends	22 (18)	14 (13)
Total activity (minutes; mean SE):
Previous fortnight	562 (66)	656 (87)
Walking yesterday	20 (2)	23 (3)
Functional status* (mean SE)	60 (1.5)	62 (1.3)
Influenza vaccination:
Yes	76 (63)	78 (70)
No	44 (36)	34 (30)
Drug total (mean SE)	3.2 (0.25)	3.9 (0.22)
Social interaction (mean SE)	12.1 (0.42)	11.7 (0.46)

^*Score for human activities profile from <10 (bedbound to >80 (jogging quarter (about 0.4 km) to half (about 0.8 km) a mile non-stop, or equivalent activity).