Table I.
Characteristics of respondents (n = 314)
| Category | n (%) |
|---|---|
| Gender: | |
| Female | 248 (79) |
| Male | 66 (21) |
| Education: | |
| Primary education | 4 (1.5) |
| Lower-secondary education | 4 (1.5) |
| Vocational education | 15 (5.0) |
| Secondary education | 105 (33.0) |
| Higher education | 186 (59.0) |
| Place where the bad news was delivered: | |
| Public clinic | 47 (15.0) |
| Public polyclinic | 45 (14.5) |
| Private polyclinic | 20 (6.5) |
| Private clinic | 8 (2.5) |
| Private doctor’s office | 29 (9.0) |
| Hospital | 165 (52.5) |
| Type of disease: | |
| Tumours | 119 (38.0) |
| Nervous system diseases | 61 (19.0) |
| Disorders of pancreatic internal secretion | 29 (9.0) |
| Blood disorders and cardiovascular diseases | 26 (8.0) |
| Musculoskeletal diseases | 18 (6.0) |
| Genitourinary system’s diseases | 14 (5.0) |
| Mental and behavioural disorders | 9 (3.0) |
| Skin diseases | 9 (3.0) |
| Eye diseases | 8 (2.5) |
| Other | 21 (6.5) |
| Marital status: | |
| Single | 111 (35.5) |
| Married | 167 (53.0) |
| Widow/widower | 17 (5.5) |
| Divorced | 19 (6.0) |
| Age: | |
| 18–30 years | 78 (25.0) |
| 31–40 years | 84 (27.0) |
| 41–50 years | 65 (21.0) |
| 51–60 years | 44 (14.0) |
| 61 years and more | 43 (13.0) |
| Visit payer: | |
| National Health Fund | 254 (81.0) |
| Insurance company | 5 (1.5) |
| Own resources | 46 (14.5) |
| I don’t remember | 9 (3.0) |
| Medical specialisation: | |
| Neurologist | 54 (17.0) |
| Haematologist | 41 (13.0) |
| Oncologist | 37 (12.0) |
| Surgeon | 29 (9.0) |
| Gynaecologist | 25 (8.0) |
| Endocrinologist | 21 (7.0) |
| General physician | 21 (7.0) |
| Rheumatologist | 10 (3.0) |
| Cardiologist | 10 (3.0) |
| Other: psychiatrist, geneticist, etc. | 66 (21.0) |