Table 1.

Between-group comparison of baseline data.

Item	EG (n = 45)	CG (n = 45)	x 2/t	P
Gender			0.046	0.830
Male	27 (60.00%)	26 (57.78%)
Female	18 (40.00%)	19 (42.22%)
Mean age ($\overline{\text{x}}$ ±  s, years)	69.22 ± 4.67	69.47 ± 3.96	0.274	0.785
BMI (kg/m2)	20.15 ± 0.51	20.06 ± 0.26	1.055	0.295
Mean duration of illness ($\overline{\text{x}}$ ±  s, years)	2.02 ± 0.84	2.33 ± 1.15
Educational degree
Primary school and junior high school	15 (33.33%)	14 (31.11%)	0.051	0.822
Senior high school and junior college	14 (31.11%)	16 (35.56%)	0.200	0.655
College and above	16 (35.56%)	15 (33.33%)	0.049	0.824
Religious faith			0.051	0.822
Yes	15 (33.33%)	14 (31.11%)
No	30 (66.67%)	31 (68.89%)
Occupation
Farmer	5 (11.11%)	6 (13.33%)	0.104	0.748
Worker	4 (8.89%)	5 (11.11%)	0.124	0.725
Teacher and civil servant	18 (40.00%)	17 (37.78%)	0.047	0.829
Retired	14 (31.11%)	13 (28.89%)	0.053	0.818
Others	4 (8.89%)	4 (8.89%)	0.000	1.000
Personal monthly income (yuan)
<2000	4 (8.89%)	5 (11.11%)	0.124	0.725
2000–5000	20 (44.44%)	21 (46.67%)	0.045	0.832
5000–8000	21 (46.67%)	19 (42.22%)	0.180	0.671
Smoking			0.045	0.832
Yes	21 (46.67%)	20 (44.44%)
No	24 (53.33%)	25 (55.56%)
Drinking			0.045	0.833
Yes	23 (51.11%)	24 (53.33%)
No	22 (48.89%)	21 (46.67%)
Place of residence			0.047	0.829
Urban area	27 (60.00%)	28 (62.22%)
Rural area	18 (40.00%)	17 (37.78%)