Table 1 Sample characteristics

Age in years (mean ± SD)

55.16 ± 8.7

55.05 ± 8.7

55.87 ± 9.8

 < 50

23 (24.0)

20 (24.7)

3 (20)

 50–64

61 (63.5)

52 (64.2)

9 (60)

 ≥ 65

12 (12.5)

9 (11.1)

3 (20)

 Female

80 (83.3)

68 (84)

12 (80)

 No formal education

2 (2.1)

2 (2.5)

0

 Primary

29 (30.2)

26 (32.1)

3 (20)

 Secondary

54 (56.3)

44 (54.3)

10 (66.7)

 Junior college/diploma

8 (8.3)

6 (7.4)

2 (13.3)

 Undergraduate to postgraduate

3 (3.1)

3 (3.7)

0

Country of birth

(n = 94)

(n = 79)

 China

8 (8.5)

6 (7.6)

2 (13.3)

 Hong Kong

1 (1.1)

1 (1.3)

0

 Malaysia

16 (17.0)

15 (19)

1 (6.7)

 Singapore

69 (73.4)

57 (72.2)

12 (80)

 75–100% feel most comfortable speaking Chinese

79 (82.3)

65 (80.2)

14 (93.3)

 75–100% prefer to speak Chinese with friends

77 (80.2)

64 (79)

13 (86.7)

 75–100% think in Chinese

82 (85.4)

69 (85.2)

13 (86.7)

 75–100% speak Chinese at home

79 (82.3)

67 (82.7)

12 (80)

 Fujian

39 (40.6)

34 (42.0)

5 (33.3)

 Chaoshan

22 (22.9)

17 (21.0)

5 (33.3)

 Fujian & Chaoshan

3 (3.1)

3 (3.7)

0

 Southern region of Guangdong & Hong Kong

10 (10.4)

8 (9.9)

2 (13.3)

 North-eastern region of Guangdong

5 (5.2)

4 (4.9)

1 (6.7)

 Hainan

4 (4.2)

3 (3.7)

1 (6.7)

 Others

6 (6.3)

5 (6.2)

1 (6.7)

 Missing

7 (7.3)

7 (8.6)

0 (0)

 Breast

72 (75.0)

60 (74.1)

12 (80)

 Colorectal

24 (25.0)

21 (25.9)

3 (20)

 I-II

56 (58.3)

48 (59.3)

8 (53.3)

 III

34 (35.4)

28 (34.6)

6 (40.0)

 issing

6 (6.3)

5 (6.2)

1 (6.7)

Type of cancer therapy

(n = 14)

 Chemotherapy

7 (7.4)

3 (3.7)

4 (28.6)

 Surgery + chemotherapy

80 (84.2)

70 (86.4)

10 (71.4)

 Surgery + chemo-radiotherapy

8 (8.4)

8 (9.9)

0