Table 1. Demographic characteristics of sample patients (N = 42,972).
| Variable | Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease n = 21,486 |
Comparison patients n = 21,486 |
p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total no. | Column % | Total no. | Column % | ||
| Male | 9812 | 45.7 | 9812 | 45.7 | >0.999 |
| Age, mean, SD (years) | 53.0 ± 15.4 | 52.9 ± 15.9 | 0.308 | ||
| Urbanization level | <0.001 | ||||
| 1 (most urbanized) | 7388 | 34.4 | 6878 | 32.0 | |
| 2 | 6116 | 28.5 | 5868 | 27.3 | |
| 3 | 3202 | 14.9 | 3530 | 16.4 | |
| 4 | 2674 | 12.4 | 2814 | 13.1 | |
| 5 (least urbanized) | 2106 | 9.8 | 2396 | 11.2 | |
| Geographic region | <0.001 | ||||
| Northern | 10,670 | 49.6 | 10,222 | 47.6 | |
| Central | 5670 | 26.4 | 4976 | 23.2 | |
| Southern | 4678 | 21.8 | 5842 | 27.2 | |
| Eastern | 468 | 2.2 | 446 | 2.0 | |
| Monthly income | <0.001 | ||||
| NT$0~15,840 | 7626 | 35.5 | 8020 | 37.3 | |
| NT$15,841~25,000 | 7728 | 36.0 | 7728 | 36.0 | |
| ≥NT$25,001 | 6132 | 28.5 | 5738 | 26.7 | |
Note: The exchange rate in 2010 was US$1.00 ≈ New Taiwan (NT)$30.