Table 1 Baseline characteristics of participants in the intervention and control group

Age (yr, mean ± SD)

29.93 ± 8.23

30.80 ± 8.82

29.07 ± 7.58

1.142

0.256^a

Gender

0.457

0.499^b

 Male

93 (78.8)

45 (76.3)

48 (81.4)

 Female

25 (21.2)

14 (23.7)

11 (18.6)

Educational level

0.218

0.897^b

 Junior high school or below

30 (25.4)

15 (25.4)

15 (25.4)

 Senior high school

26 (22.0)

12 (20.3)

14 (23.7)

 College or above

62 (52.5)

32 (54.2)

30 (50.8)

Marital status

0

1.000^b

 Single/divorced

62 (52.5)

31 (52.5)

31 (52.5)

 Married

56 (47.5)

28 (47.5)

28 (47.5)

Monthly per capita income (¥, yuan)

1.720

0.633^b

 < 2200

34 (28.8)

16 (27.1)

18 (30.5)

 2200~3299

33 (28.0)

15 (25.4)

18 (30.5)

 3300~5499

23 (19.5)

11 (18.6)

12 (20.3)

 ≥ 5500

28 (23.7)

17 (28.8)

11 (18.6)

Medical insurance

0.160

0.689^b

 Self-pay

82 (69.5)

40 (67.8)

42 (71.2)

 Medical insurance

36 (30.5)

19 (32.2)

17 (28.8)

Smoking status

1.502

0.472^b

 Current smoking

36 (30.5)

19 (32.2)

17 (28.8)

 Never smoking

70 (59.3)

36 (61.0)

34 (57.6)

 Quit smoking

12 (10.2)

4 (6.8)

8 (13.6)

Medication

2.185

0.139^b

 DMARDs

64 (54.2)

28 (47.5)

36 (61.0)

 DMARDs+biologics

54 (45.8)

31 (52.5)

23 (39.0)

Symptom duration (yr), M [IQR]

5.00 [6.00]

6.00 [7.00]

5.00 [7.00]

− 0.346

0.730^c

Duration since diagnosis (yr), M [IQR]

3.00 [6.00]

3.00 [6.00]

3.00 [6.00]

− 0.577

0.564^c

 Physical functioning

77.88 ± 18.67

77.54 ± 20.46

78.22 ± 16.86

− 0.196

0.845^a

 Role physical, M [IQR]

50.00 [100.00]

50.00 [100.00]

50.00 [100.00]

− 0.490

0.624^c

 Bodily pain

51.49 ± 20.31

53.97 ± 22.39

49.02 ± 17.84

1.328

0.187^a

 General health

49.08 ± 21.29

49.81 ± 21.93

48.34 ± 20.79

0.375

0.708^a

 Vitality

65.89 ± 18.95

67.63 ± 19.06

64.15 ± 18.85

0.996

0.321^a

 Social functioning

70.46 ± 22.68

69.33 ± 23.45

71.59 ± 22.03

− 0.539

0.591^a

 Role emotional

64.41 ± 43.52

66.67 ± 43.33

62.15 ± 43.97

0.562

0.575^a

 Mental health

67.29 ± 15.39

67.12 ± 15.97

67.46 ± 14.92

− 0.119

0.905^a

BDI-II, M [IQR]

5.00 [11.25]

5.00 [10.00]

6.00 [12.00]

− 0.543

0.587^c

BAS-G

3.36 ± 2.31

3.31 ± 2.37

3.41 ± 2.27

− 0.234

0.815^a

BASFI, M [IQR]

0.60 [1.70]

0.60 [1.90]

0.60 [1.50]

− 0.586

0.558^c

Overall pain

3.24 ± 2.35

2.97 ± 2.33

3.51 ± 2.36

− 1.267

0.208^a

Back pain

2.96 ± 2.33

2.76 ± 2.30

3.16 ± 2.36

− 0.929

0.355^a

Nocturnal pain

3.02 ± 2.48

3.00 ± 2.33

3.05 ± 2.64

− 0.103

0.918^a

Morning stiffness

2.45 ± 2.11

2.35 ± 1.93

2.56 ± 2.29

− 0.545

0.587^a