Table 1. Characteristics of patients and family members .
| Control (n = 40) | Experiment (n = 40) | P value | ||
| No. (%) | No. (%) | |||
| Patients | ||||
| Agea | 56.45 (5.10) | 54.10 (10.11) | 0.06 | |
| Gender | 0.65 | |||
| Female | 21 (52.5) | 19 (47.5) | ||
| Male | 19 (47.5) | 21 (52.5) | ||
| Marital status | 0.35 | |||
| Single | 0 (0) | 1 (2.5) | ||
| Married | 40 (100) | 38 (98) | ||
| Widow | 0 (0) | 1 (2.5) | ||
| Educational level | 0.93 | |||
| Higher education | 3 (7.5) | 4 (10) | ||
| Diploma | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| High school | 5 (12.5) | 6 (15) | ||
| Pre-tertiary | 32 (80) | 30 (75) | ||
| Admission reason | ||||
| Acute coronary syndrome | 21 (52.5) | 17 (42.5) | 0.10 | |
| Cardiac dysrhythmias | 6 (15) | 8 (20) | ||
| Diagnosticb procedures | 13 (32.5) | 10 (25) | ||
| Othersc | 0 (0) | 5 (12.5) | ||
| Mobility status | ||||
| Out of bed | 2 (5) | 1 (2.5) | 0.52 | |
| Relative bed rest | 8 (20) | 5 (12.5) | ||
| Complete bed rest | 30 (75) | 34 (85) | ||
| Family Members | ||||
| Agea | 39.82 (9.17) | 39.20 (9.46) | 0.82 | |
| Gender | ||||
| Female | 23 (57.5) | 30 (75) | 0.09 | |
| Male | 17 (42.5) | 10 (25) | ||
| Marital status | ||||
| Single | 2 (5) | 5 (12.5) | 0.23 | |
| Married | 38 (95) | 35 (87.5) | ||
| Widow | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| Educational level | ||||
| Higher education | 7 (17.5) | 12 (30) | 0.10 | |
| Diploma | 4 (10) | 2 (5) | ||
| High school | 19 (47.5) | 10 (25) | ||
| Pre-tertiary | 10 (25) | 16 (40) | ||
| Relationship with the patient | ||||
| Parent-child | 31 (77.5) | 30 (75) | 0.48 | |
| Sister or brother | 1 (2.5) | 3 (7.5) | ||
| Spouse | 6 (15) | 6 (15) | ||
| Othersa | 2 (5) | 1 (2.5) | ||
a Mean (SD); b Angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention; cEndocarditis, deep vein thrombosis, chronic, heart failure; dGrandchildren, daughter in law.