Table 1 Data of initial posters differentiated between men and women
Men | Women | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
Characteristics of initial posters: | |||
Initial postings opening threads, n (%) | 164 (45) | 202 (55) | 0.053# |
Mean age of initial posters, y (range) | 50 (19-75) | 44 (23 - 72) | <0.0001* |
Threads opened by concerned patients, n (%) | 132 (80) | 78 (39) | <0.0001* |
Threads opened for concerned patients n, (%) | 32 (20) | 124 (61) | |
Content: | |||
Asking for medical information, n (%) | 139 (85) | 158 (78) | 0.139† |
Wish for emotional support, n (%) | 63 (38) | 101 (50) | 0.034† |
Wish to share experiences, n (%) | 68 (41) | 104 (51) | 0.057† |
Language: | |||
Questions, n (%) | 126 (77) | 162 (80) | 0.367† |
Statements implying questions, n (%) | 21 (13) | 33 (16) | 0.376† |
Pure statements, n (%) | 17 (10) | 7 (4) | 0.010† |
Tentative language, n (%) | 68 (41) | 116 (57) | 0.003† |
Use of acronyms | Rarely | Rarely | |
Use of medical terms | Often | Often | |
Responses and feedback: | |||
Mean number of postings per thread (n) | 14 | 13 | 0.410* |
Mean views per thread (n) | 1836 | 1675 | 0.934* |