Table 1

Characteristics of the Patients in the Study

Characteristic
Number
Average

Number of Patients
35

Age (yrs)


     Median (range)
59 (27–92)

     Mean
57.9

Gender


     Female
20

     Male
15

Schooling


     None
11
31
     Grade School Incomplete
10
29
     Grade School Complete
7
20
     High School Incomplete
4
11
     High School Complete
3
9
     College/University
0
0
Place of Residence


     Urban
11
31
     Rural
24
69
Average Family Income


     Less than 1 minimum wage
12
34
     2–5 minimum wage
15
43
     More than 5 minimum wages
8
23
Tumor Site**


     Head and Neck
8
23
     Prostate
4
11
     Malignant Melanoma
6
17
     Breast Cancer
8
23
     Cervical Carcinoma
9
26

*Minimum wages are slightly different in rural and urban areas; however, it is approximately $4 U.S. Dollars per day. Less than one minimum wage corresponds to extreme poverty, from 2 to 5 minimum wages are classified as poor people. Cervical Cancer patients often live in extreme poverty.

**All patients had advanced cancer.

Verástegui BMC Medical Ethics 2006 7:13   doi:10.1186/1472-6939-7-13