Table 1 Characteristics of the group, including a comparison of the experimental and control groups

Women, n (%)

20 (50.0)

20 (46.5)

0.75^c

17 (56.7)

13 (43.3)

0.30^c

Age [years], mean (SD)

65.6 (6.6)

65.8 (4.5)

0.82^a

65.2 (7.3)

65.6 (5.0)

0.82^a

BMI [kg/m²], mean (SD)

27.3 (4.9)

27.8 (4.9)

0.48^b

27.4 (4.6)

28.0 (4.9)

0.61^b

Education, n (%)

Primary/vocational

23 (57.5)

28 (65.1)

0.33^c

17 (56.7)

20 (66.7)

0.36^c

Secondary

13 (32.5)

14 (32.6)

9 (30.0)

9 (30.0)

Higher

4 (10.0)

1 (2.3)

4 (13.3)

1 (3.3)

Employment, n (%)

Disability pensioner

9 (22.5)

4 (9.3)

0.25^c

6 (20.0)

2 (6.7)

0.30^c

Retired

24 (60.0)

30 (69.8)

19 (63.3)

21 (70.0)

Employed

7 (17.5)

9 (20.9)

5 (16.7)

7 (23.3)

Marital status, n (%)

Single

2 (5.0)

3 (7.0)

0.13^c

1 (3.3)

2 (6.7)

0.26^c

Married

19 (47.5)

27 (62.8)

15 (50.0)

20 (66.7)

Widow

19 (47.5)

11 (25.6)

14 (46.7)

8 (26.7)

Divorced

0 (0.0)

2 (4.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

Time since stroke [weeks], mean (SD)

3.8 (1.6)

4.3 (1.8)

0.20^b

3.9 (1.6)

4.0 (1.5)

0.94^b

Side of the body with paresis, n (%)

Right

17 (42.5)

15 (34.9)

0.59^c

12 (40.0)

12 (40.0)

0.79^c

Left

23 (57.5)

26 (60.5)

18 (60.0)

16 (53.3)

No data

0 (0.0)

2 (4.7)

0 (0.0)

2 (6.7)

Admitted to the ward from…, n (%)

Home

36 (90.0)

37 (86.0)

0.99^c

28 (93.3)

27 (90.0)

0.88^c

Hospital

2 (5.0)

2 (4.7)

2 (6.7)

1 (3.3)

Other

2 (5.0)

2 (4.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (3.3)

No data

0 (0.0)

2 (4.7)

0 (0.0)

1 (3.3)

Family care, n (%)

Lack of care capacity

1 (2.5)

2 (4.7)

0.43^c

0 (0.0)

1 (3.3)

0.52^c

Partial lack of care capacity

16 (40.0)

12 (27.9)

11 (36.7)

7 (23.3)

Full caring capacity

22 (55.0)

29 (67.4)

18 (60.0)

22 (73.3)

No data

1 (2.5)

0 (0.0)

1 (3.3)

0 (0.0)

MMSE, mean (SD)

26.2 (2.5)

27.3 (1.7)

0.07^b

26.4 (2.3)

27.2 (1.5)

0.22^b

GDS T₀, mean (SD)

12.1 (4.61)

11.0 (4.6)

0.31^a

13.8 (4.0)

13.4 (3.1)

0.69^a