Table 3.

Participant characteristics by message format condition

	Verbal-only (n = 69)		Verbal and numerical combined (n = 72)		p
	n	%	n	%
Gender
Female	45	35	46	36
Male	24	65	26	64	.869
Age at time of experiment, mean (SD)	57.72 (7.29)		56.83 (7.50)		.469
< 50 years	8	11	13	18
50–65 years	44	64	49	68
> 65 years	17	25	10	14	.201
Education
Primary school	8	11	12	17
Secondary school	17	25	24	33
College/University	44	64	36	50	.255
Tumor
Breast	22	32	22	31
Hematologicala	13	19	8	12
Urologicalb	10	15	13	18
Gynecologicalc	7	10	10	14
Head and neck	4	6	6	8
Lung	2	3	4	5
Skin	3	4	2	3
Gastroenterologicald	3	4	2	3
Othere	3	4	4	5
Unknown	2	3	1	1	.912
Years since diagnosis, mean (SD)	6.48 (6.89)		5.01 (4.22)		.133
0–5 years	43	62	52	72
6–10 years	12	17	13	18
11–15 years	8	12	5	7
> 15 years	6	9	2	3	.318
Treatment(s)
Surgery	48	70	48	67	.712
Radiotherapy	40	58	35	49	.266
Chemotherapy	40	58	37	51	.433
Immunotherapy	13	19	11	15	.574
Hormone therapy	18	26	24	33	.347
Other	16	23	13	18	.451
Prior experience side effects
Fatigue	55	80	49	68	.116
Neuropathy	29	42	26	36	.471
Smell and taste changes	30	44	27	38	.470
Diarrhea	14	20	11	15	.436
None of the above	7	10	9	13	.659
Subjective numeracy, mean (SD)f	4.51 (0.81)		4.64 (0.86)		.384

^aLymphoma, Leukemia, Multiple myeloma

^bProstate, bladder

^cUterus, cervix, ovary

^dEsophageal, anus, GIST, gall bladder, but excluding colorectal cancer

^eBrain, renal cell, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumor

^fα = .82; SD standard deviation