Demographic characteristics of the 635 patients at baseline
| Characteristic | Control | Intervention |
|---|---|---|
| *n = 358; †n = 262; ‡n = 364; §n = 265. | ||
| Age (y) | ||
| Mean (SD) | 46.3 (15.1) | 44.4 (14.9) |
| Range | 17–86 | 18–81 |
| Sex (n (%)) | ||
| Male | 157 (43) | 112 (41.5) |
| Female | 208 (57) | 158 (58.5) |
| Work status (n (%)) | ||
| In work | 211 (57.8) | 144 (57.1) |
| Retired | 81 (22.2) | 53 (19.6) |
| Long term sickness | 9 (2.5) | 15 (5.6) |
| Other | 64 (17.6) | 48 (17.7) |
| Marital status (n (%)) | ||
| Married/cohabiting | 222 (60.8) | 172 (63.7) |
| Education (n (%)) | ||
| Continued after 16 y | 165 (45.2) | 112 (41.5) |
| Degree or professional qualification | 99 (27.1) | 67 (24.8) |
| Disease type (n (%)) | ||
| Ulcerative colitis | 226 (61.9) | 177 (65.6) |
| Crohn’s disease | 139 (38.1) | 92 (34.1) |
| Missing | — | 1 (0.4) |
| Activity at baseline (n (%)) | ||
| Active | 85 (23.3) | 69 (29.6) |
| Relapse in past 18 months | 196 (53.7) | 137 (50.7) |
| In remission—no flare ups in past 18 months | 58 (15.9) | 47 (17.4) |
| Missing | 26 (7.1) | 17 (6.3) |
| Duration of illness (n (%)) | ||
| 0–2 y | 86 (23.6) | 68 (25.3) |
| 3–9 y | 141 (38.7) | 116 (43.8) |
| 10 y or longer | 137 (37.7) | 81 (30.5) |
| Baseline health status measures (n (%)) | ||
| Disease specific quality of life value (mean (SD)) | 165.4 (37.4)* | 168.1 (36.2)† |
| Anxiety and depression score (mean (SD)) | 12.2 (7.5)‡ | 11.6 (7.1)§ |