Table 1.
Participants’ general characteristics
| Characteristic | Men (n = 545) | Women (n = 555) | Total (N = 1100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | |||
| ≤ 29 | 101 (18.5) | 92 (16.6) | 193 (17.5) |
| 30–39 | 98 (18.0) | 95 (17.1) | 193 (17.5) |
| 40–49 | 114 (20.9) | 112 (20.2) | 226 (20.5) |
| 50–59 | 112 (20.6) | 107 (19.3) | 219 (19.9) |
| ≥ 60 | 120 (22.0) | 149 (26.8) | 269 (24.5) |
| Mean ± SD | 46.4 ± 15.5 | 47.9 ± 16.0 | 47.2 ± 15.8 |
| Region | |||
| Capital district | 276 (50.6) | 276 (49.7) | 552 (50.2) |
| Kangwon | 16 (2.9) | 18 (3.2) | 34 (3.1) |
| Chungcheong | 57 (10.5) | 59 (10.6) | 116 (10.5) |
| Jeolla | 54 (9.9) | 58 (10.5) | 112 (10.2) |
| Gyeongsang | 142 (26.1) | 144 (25.9) | 286 (26.0) |
| Occupation | |||
| Office | 137 (25.1) | 103 (18.6) | 240 (21.8) |
| Service | 340 (62.4) | 223 (40.2) | 563 (51.2) |
| Othera | 68 (12.5) | 229 (41.3) | 297 (27.0) |
| Household incomeb (USD) | |||
| < 300 (< 3000) | 132 (24.2) | 146 (26.3) | 278 (25.3) |
| 300–399 (3000–3999) | 140 (25.7) | 138 (24.9) | 278 (25.3) |
| 400–499 (4000–4999) | 114 (20.9) | 118 (21.3) | 232 (21.1) |
| ≥ 500 (5000) | 159 (29.2) | 153 (27.6) | 312 (28.4) |
| Education (over college) | 277 (50.8) | 199 (35.9) | 476 (43.3) |
| Marital status (married) | 361 (66.2) | 391 (70.5) | 752 (68.4) |
| Smoking (current smoker) | 268 (49.2) | 14 (2.5) | 282 (25.6) |
| Alcohol consumption (current drinker) | 485 (89.0) | 309 (55.7) | 794 (72.2) |
| Physical activity (high) | 136 (25.0) | 100 (18.0) | 236 (21.5) |
| Disease history (yes)c | 174 (31.9) | 146 (26.3) | 320 (29.1) |
| Symptom (3–21)d | |||
| Fatigue | 7.0 ± 3.1 | 7.2 ± 3.4 | 7.1 ± 3.3 |
| Pain | 4.8 ± 2.7 | 5.5 ± 3.5 | 5.1 ± 3.2 |
| Digestive problems | 4.4 ± 2.2 | 4.9 ± 2.7 | 4.6 ± 2.5 |
| Sleep disturbances | 4.3 ± 2.4 | 4.9 ± 3.1 | 4.6 ± 2.8 |
| HRQOL (0–100)e | |||
| Physical (PCS) | 53.4 ± 5.2 | 51.4 ± 6.9 | 52.4 ± 6.2 |
| Mental (MCS) | 52.7 ± 6.4 | 52.6 ± 6.7 | 52.6 ± 6.5 |
Data are presented as n (%) or mean ± standard deviation. HRQOL health-related quality of life, PCS SF-12 Physical Component Summary, MCS SF-12 Mental Component Summary, SD standard deviation, USD United States dollars. aIncluding student, housewife, retired and unemployed. bunit: 10,000 South Korean won. cDisease history comprised one or more of the following: hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or cancer. dScore range of each symptoms, and higher scores were interpreted as experiencing more symptom(s). eScore range of PCS and MCS; higher scores indicated better quality of life