Preferred information sources and needs of cancer patients on disease symptoms and management: a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Degree of satisfaction with the current possibilities of acquiring information about cancer (N=556).

Table 1 Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of survey respondents (N=556)

Variable	Frequency, n (%)
Age group, years
18–29	102 (18.3)
30–49	214 (38.5)
50–59	172 (30.9)
>60	68 (12.3)
Sex
Male	253 (45.5)
Female	303 (54.5)
Marital status
Unmarried	89 (16)
Married	295 (53.1)
Divorced	60 (10.8)
Widowed	112 (20.1)
Education level
Illiterate	124 (22.3)
Primary school	84 (15.1)
Secondary school	225 (40.5)
College/university	123 (22.1)
Occupational status
Student	69 (12.4)
Government employee	113 (20.3)
Merchant	99 (17.8)
Housewife	122 (21.9)
Farmer	110 (19.8)
Private company employee	43 (7.7)
Site of malignancy
Breast	172 (30.9)
Hematologic	167 (30)
Gynecologica	95 (17.2)
Gastrointestinalb	93 (16.7)
Others	29 (5.2)
Time since treatment
<6 months	198 (35.6)
6 months to 1 year	232 (41.7)
1–5 years	103 (18.5)
>5 years	23 (4.2)

Notes:

a Ovaries, uterus or endometrium, cervix, and others.

b Stomach, pancreas, liver, colon, rectum, and anus.

Table 2 Rating of the importance of different information among cancer patients in Ethiopia (N=556)

Type of information	Total, n (%)	Most important, n (%)	Important, n (%)	Somewhat important, n (%)	Not at all important, n (%)
Disease
Specific type of cancer(including name and stage)	556 (100)	374 (67.3)	93 (16.7)	80 (14.4)	9 (1.6)
Prognosis (survival)	552 (100)	286 (51.8)	164 (29.7)	102 (18.5)	0
Prevention of cancer	550 (100)	231 (42)	118 (21.4)	198 (36)	3 (0.5)
Family risk	553 (100)	220 (39.8)	295 (53.3)	36 (6.5)	2 (0.4)
Coping with cancer	553 (100)	147 (26.6)	302 (54.6)	226 (40.9)	8 (1.4)
Risk factors of cancer	555 (100)	117 (21.1)	271 (48.8)	89 (16)	78 (14)
Treatment
Side effects and management of chemotherapy	553 (100)	350 (63.3)	141 (25.5)	62 (11.2)	0
Risks and benefits of treatment	551 (100)	112 (20.3)	103 (18.7)	334 (60.6)	2 (0.4)
Duration and schedule of chemotherapy	556 (100)	78 (14)	162 (29.1)	299 (53.8)	17 (3)
Name and aim of chemotherapy	554 (100)	60 (10.8)	125 (22.6)	324 (58.5)	47 (8.5)
Complementary/alternative treatment	556 (100)	50 (9)	193 (34.7)	170 (30.6)	143 (25.7)
Miscellaneous
Nutrition	554 (100)	141 (25.4)	108 (19.5)	271 (48.9)	34 (6.1)
Cost of treatment	556 (100)	139 (25)	234 (42.1)	161 (28.9)	22 (3.9)
Follow-up after completion	553 (100)	123 (22.2)	288 (52.1)	99 (17.9)	43 (7.8)
Investigation results	554 (100)	104 (18.8)	87 (15.7)	176 (31.8)	187 (33.7)

Table 3 Preferred sources of information for cancer patients in Ethiopia (N=556)

Information source	Frequency, n (%)
Doctors (health care providers)	494 (88.8)
Nurses	189 (34)
Broadcast media, ie, television and radio	170 (30.6)
Pharmacists	161 (28.9)
Relatives/friends	67 (12)
Did not look for cancer information	39 (7)
Internet	28 (5)
Complementary or alternative practitioner	23 (4.1)
Another person with cancer	12 (2.1)