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. 2019 May 9;9(5):e027727. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027727

Table 1.

Demographic characteristics of participating (A) patients, and (B) caregivers

(A) Patients
Characteristic Frequency (%) n=23
Female 13 (57)
Age (years)
 65–74 0
 75–84 8 (35)
 85 and more 15 (65)
Education
 No education 0
 Elementary 5 (22)
 High school 11 (48)
 College 2 (8.7)
 University 5 (22)
Income (US$)
 0–24 999 12 (52)
 25 000–34 999 6 (26)
 35 000–49 999 1 (4.3)
 50 000–74 999 3 (13)
 75 000–99 999 1 (4.3)
 100 000–150 000 0 (0)
 150 000+ 0 (0)
Health literacy
Self-reported frequency of having someone helping read medical materials
 (0) Never 7 (30)
 (1) Occasionally 4 (17)
 (2) Sometimes 4 (17)
 (3) Often 4 (17)
 (4) Always 4 (17)
 Mean (±SD) 1.7 (±1.5)
Self-reported confidence with forms
 (0) Extremely 4 (17)
 (1) Quite a bit 4 (17)
 (2) Somewhat 3 (13)
 (3) A little bit 3 (13)
 (4) Not at all 9 (39)
 Mean (±SD) 2.4 (±1.6)
Self-reported problems learning about medical condition because of difficulty reading medical materials
 (0) Never 5 (22)
 (1) Occasionally 7 (30)
 (2) Sometimes 2 (8.7)
 (3) Often 4 (17)
 (4) Always 5 (22)
 Mean (±SD) 1.9 (±1.5)
 Marital status
  Single 1 (4.4)
  Married or common-law partner 11 (48)
  Widow 11 (48)
  Separated 0 (0)
  Divorced 0 (0)
  Living with caregiver, n (%) 11 (48)
(B) Caregivers
Characteristic Frequency (%) n=27
Female 15 (56)
Age (years)
 24 and less 0 (0.0)
 25–44 0 (0.0)
 45–64 13 (48)
 65–84 11 (41)
 85+ 3 (11)
Education
 No education 0 (0.0)
 Elementary 2 (7.4)
 High school 8 (30)
 College 9 (33)
 University 8 (30)
Self-reported frequency of having someone helping read medical materials
 (0) Never 16 (59)
 (1) Occasionally 4 (15)
 (2) Sometimes 5 (19)
 (3) Often 2 (7)
 (4) Always 0 (0.0)
 Mean (±SD) 0.7 (±1.0)
Self-reported confidence with forms
 (0) Extremely 16 (59)
 (1) Quite a bit 8 (30)
 (2) Somewhat 1 (4)
 (3) A little bit 0 (0.0)
 (4) Not at all 2 (7)
 Mean (±SD) 0.7 (±1.1)
Self-reported problems learning about medical condition because of difficulty reading medical materials
 (0) Never 9 (33)
 (1) Occasionally 10 (37)
 (2) Sometimes 6 (22)
 (3) Often 0 (0.0)
 (4) Always 2 (7)
 Mean (±SD) 1.11 (±1.1)
Relationship with the patient
 Family member 26 (96)
 Friend 1 (4)
 Professional 0 (0.0)
 Other 0 (0.0)
Approximate number of years in the care of the patient, mean (±SD) 10.3 (±14)