Table 1.

Detailed Qualitative Coding of Companions’ Communicative Behaviors During Oncology Medical Visits.^a

Companion Behavior	The Number of Times a Behavior was Coded	%	Behavior Description	Example Excerpt
Answering doctor’s questions	275	34.67%	Companion responding to question from doctor, even if not directed at them.	Physician: “Any vomiting, diarrhea, constipation? Companion: Constipation umm…he can eat and he will go to the bathroom 10 minutes later, and that’s every time…”
Clarifying doctor or patient statements	133	16.77%	Companion restating or otherwise attempting to explain statement made by others	Companion: “How do I put this…Dr. X____ is under the impression that with this treatment you will be completely cured.”
Directly questioning the doctor	113	14.25%	Companions posing their own inquiry directed at doctor	Physician: “I just want to make sure that you followed me. Companion: I got ya. Okay. The lymph nodes? That’s the part that you’re not sure of? In other words, it’s in question…is there another test that you would take that would see if the lymph nodes are involved?”
Offering statements specific to medical history or symptoms	83	10.46%	Companion providing information on medical history, behavior, symptoms, or medication for the patient	Physician: “Now, what have you been told as the reason for your kidney problems? Patient: Nothing Companion: Just that he got a kidney problem. He was going to Dr. X___ and his insurance changed. He started going to these new HMO’s and they moved when his insurance changed…he was told to keep his blood pressure under control or else it will affect the kidney problem”
Directly questioning the patient	64	8.07%	Companion directing questions toward patient	Companion: “Is that what you are worried about? Patient: Well, sticking myself, I don’t like sticking my self”
Companion providing advice to the patient	43	5.42%	Companion offering information/suggestions to patient	Patient:” I got to take my blood pressure medication Companion: I don’t know if you can take that one without food, it might make you sick to your stomach Patient: I should have gotten a sandwich or something Companion: Ain’t nothing here, you got wait till you go way over town Patient: No I don’t Companion: You do so”
Companion asking or answering questions of nurse	29	3.65%	Companion interacting directly with nurse
Companion verbal interaction with another companion	20	2.52%	Companion in discussion only with another companion present
Inaudible or otherwise categorized communication	33	4.16%	Imperceptible verbal communication or statement categories occurring too infrequently.

^aA total of 793 companion behaviors coded across 16 companions and 14 medical interactions.