Characteristics of the study participants at baseline (n = 68 652)
| Characteristic | GHQ-12 score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (n = 41 665) | 1–3 (n = 16 915) | ≥ 4 (n = 10 072) | |
| Age, yr, mean (SD) | 55.1 (13.5) | 55.1 (14.4) | 53.8 (14.1) |
| Male, % | 47.9 | 42.5 | 37.5 |
| Socioeconomic group, % | |||
| Professional | 40.3 | 38.8 | 34.1 |
| Intermediate | 40.8 | 40.7 | 40.9 |
| Partly skilled/unskilled | 18.9 | 20.5 | 25.0 |
| Smoking status, % | |||
| Never | 42.4 | 40.9 | 39.1 |
| Former | 36.7 | 35.6 | 31.9 |
| Current | 21.0 | 23.5 | 29.0 |
| Use of antihypertensive agents, %* | 10.9 | 12.5 | 12.1 |
| White ethnicity, % | 96.6 | 95.9 | 95.2 |
Note: GHQ-12 = 12-item General Health Questionnaire.
↵* Includes diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, β-blockers and calcium-channel blockers.