The interventions included a variety of patient education materials delivered by the following methods.
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General cancer education material (Cancer BACUP, a cancer information and support service for patients in the United Kingdom) specific to the patient's cancer—This material included content about understanding radiation therapy, diet, and cancer-specific information.
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Patient-chosen information selected interactively via computer at the cancer center—The patient was given a choice of six booklets to print from the computer.
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A larger volume of material than in the booklets, not chosen specifically by the patient—This information included 40–47 sections of information.
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Patient-chosen personalized information selected interactively from topics based on the patient’s medical record—These topics included “problem list, treatment lists, or your cancer.”
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A subgroup of participants received anxiety management advice. This information was provided through written materials with self-help advice based on work in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety.
Participants were divided into eight groups (three factors, 2 x 2 x 2).
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Group 1: Interactively selected, personalized information, and anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 48, t3 N = 40)
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Group 2: Interactively selected, personalized information, and no anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 48, t3 N = 44)
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Group 3: Interactively selected, general information, and anxiety management advice (N = 49, t2 N = 44, t3 N = 35)
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Group 4: Interactively selected, general information, and no anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 50, t3 N = 49)
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Group 5: Automatically selected, personalized information, and anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 47, t3 N = 39)
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Group 6: Automatically selected, personalized information, and no anxiety management advice (N = 51, t2 N = 50, t3 N = 44)
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Group 7: Automatically selected, general information, and anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 49, t3 N = 40)
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Group 8: Automatically selected, general information, and no anxiety management advice (N = 50, t2 N = 48, t3 N = 38)
Measurements were taken at baseline, after intervention, and at three months follow-up.