Table 1 SF-12 summary scores according to selected characteristics of the study population

 Sex

  Male

660 (45)

46.8 (±10.4)

47.7 (±10.8)

  Female

807 (55)

45.1 (±11.7)

42.6 (±11.7)

t-test (1465) = 3.01, p = 0.003

t-test (1465) = 8.45, p < 0.001

 Age group, years

  18-45

498 (33.9)

51.4 (±7.7)

46.3 (±11.4)

  46-64

541 (36.9)

46.5 (±10)

44.9 (±11.6)

  ≥ 65

428 (29.2)

38.6 (±10.6)

43.2 (±11.7)

F-test (2, 1464) = 214.95, p < 0.001

F-test (2, 1464) = 8.17, p < 0.001

 Marital status

  Married

988 (67.3)

45.2 (±10.5)

45.2 (±11.5)

  Other

479 (32.7)

47.2 (±11.1)

44.2 (±11.8)

t-test (1465) = −3.34, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 1.50, p = 0.13

 Additional persons in the household

   None

138 (9.4)

41.4 (±11.7)

43.5 (±11.2)

   1

384 (26.2)

42.5 (±11.2)

44.3 (±12.2)

   >1

945 (64.4)

47.9 (±9.9)

45.3 (±11.4)

F-test (2, 1464) = 50.99, p < 0.001

F-test (2, 1464) = 2.23, p = 0.11

 Education level

   No formal education

305 (20.8)

38.6 (±11.3)

42.9 (±12.6)

   Primary school

309 (21)

43.4 (±10.5)

44 (±11.7)

   Secondary school

588 (40.1)

49.2 (±9.1)

44.7 (±11.4)

   University degree

265 (18.1)

49.8 (±8.5)

48.7 (±9.7)

F-test (3, 1463) = 98.30, p < 0.001

F-test (3, 1463) = 13.49, p < 0.001

 Working activity

   No

843 (57.5)

43.4 (±11.4)

43.6 (±12)

   Yes

624 (42.5)

49.2 (±8.7)

46.6 (±10.9)

t-test (1465) = −10.62, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = −4.80, p < 0.001

Utilization of health services during the previous year

 PCP accesses

   <12

782 (53.3)

49.8 (±9)

47 (±11)

   ≥12

685 (46.7)

41.4 (±10.8)

42.5 (±11.9)

t-test (1465) = 16.33, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 7.52, p < 0.001

 PCP medical visits

   None

528 (36)

49.8 (±9.2)

47.3 (±11.4)

   <12

590 (40.2)

46.5 (±10.3)

44.4 (±11.3)

   ≥12

349 (23.8)

38.9 (±10.4)

42.2 (±11.8)

F-test (2, 1464) = 129.14, p < 0.001

F-test (2, 1464) = 21.99, p < 0.001

 Specialist visits in community health services

  None

890 (60.7)

47.9 (±10.2)

46.1 (±11.5)

  ≥1

577 (39.3)

42.7 (±10.8)

43.1 (±11.5)

t-test (1465) = 9.43, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 4.89, p < 0.001

 Private specialists visits

  None

778 (53)

45.7 (±11)

45.6 (±11.5)

  ≥1

689 (47)

46.1 (±10.5)

44.1 (±11.5)

t-test (1465) = −0.68, p = 0.50

t-test (1465) = 2.55, p = 0.011

 Emergency accesses

  None

1129 (77)

46.5 (±10.6)

45.4 (±11.4)

  ≥1

338 (23)

43.7 (±10.9)

43.2 (±12.1)

t-test (1465) = 4.28, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 3.11, p = 0.002

 Hospital admissions

  None

1279 (87.2)

46.7 (±10.4)

45.3 (±11.6)

  ≥1

188 (12.8)

40.6 (±11.4)

42.1 (±11.5)

t-test (1465) = 7.38, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 3.54, p < 0.001

Behavioral risk factors and medical conditions

 Smoking habit

   Never smoker

724 (49.3)

45.1 (±11.1)

44.6 (±12)

   Ex-smoker

360 (24.6)

44.2 (±10.5)

45.9 (±10.4)

   Current smoker

383 (26.1)

49 (±9.6)

44.6 (±12)

F-test (2, 1464) = 10.03, p = 0.007

F-test (2, 1464) = 1.82, p = 0.162

 Excessive alcohol use

   No

1346 (91.7)

45.7 (±10.7)

44.7 (±11.7)

   Yes

121 (8.3)

47.9 (±10.8)

47.3 (±10.8)

t-test (1465) = −2.13, p = 0.033

t-test (1465) = −2.41, p = 0.016

 Chronic diseases

   0

569 (38.8)

52.3 (±6.9)

47.9 (±10.7)

   1

478 (32.6)

45.3 (±10)

44.8 (±11.4)

   2

270 (18.4)

39.5 (±10.2)

41.4 (±12)

   ≥3

150 (10.2)

34.9 (±9.7)

40.1 (±11.6)

F-test (3, 1463) = 219.38, p < 0.001

F-test (3, 1463) = 31.17, p < 0.001

 Hypertension

   No

973 (66.3)

48.4 (±9.9)

46.1(±11.5)

   Yes

494 (33.7)

40.9 (±10.6)

42.5 (±11.6)

t-test (1465) = 13.4, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 5.57, p < 0.001

 Diabetes

   No

1300 (88.6)

46.7 (±10.5)

45.1 (±11.6)

   Yes

167 (11.4)

39.2 (±10.7)

43.4 (±11.4)

t-test (1465) = 8.79, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 1.71, p = 0.086

 Musculoskeletal problem

   No

1303 (88.8)

47.2 (±10)

45.4(±11.4)

   Yes

164 (11.2)

35.4 (±10.5)

41.1 (±12.7)

t-test (1465) = 14.17, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 4.42, p < 0.001

 Heart disease

   No

1352 (92.2)

46.6 (±10.6)

45.1(±11.6)

   Yes

115 (7.8)

37.7 (±9.2)

42.5 (±11.3)

t-test (1465) = 8.75, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 2.32, p = 0.02

 Gastrointestinal illness

   No

1375 (93.7)

46.2 (±10.6)

45.2 (±11.5)

   Yes

92 (6.3)

40.3 (±11.2)

39.7 (±11.9)

t-test (1465) = 5.15, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 4.48, p < 0.001

 Asthma/COPD

   No

1390 (94.7)

46.3 (±10.6)

44.9(±11.6)

   Yes

77 (5.3)

38.9 (±10.3)

43.7 (±12.3)

t-test (1465) = 5.91, p < 0.001

t-test (1465) = 0.93, p = 0.35

 Psychiatric disease

   No

1431 (97.5)

46 (±10.7)

45.2 (±11.5)

   Yes

36 (2.5)

41.9 (±10.7)

32.7 (±9.9)

t-test (1465) = 2.26, p = 0.024

t-test (1465) = 6.44, p < 0.001