All numerical data covered in this report is based on the findings of a daily tracking survey on Americans’ use of the internet.
Telephone interviews were conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between August 1 to August 31, 2006, among a sample of 2,928 adults, 18 and older. For results based on the total sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 2.0 percentage points. For results based on internet users (n=1,990), the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on e-patients with chronic conditions (n=268), the margin of sampling error is +/- 7%. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting telephone surveys may introduce some error or bias into the findings of opinion polls. More details on the design, execution and analysis of the telephone survey are discussed in the questionnaire associated with this report.
Online essays were collected on a site hosted by Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR). Respondents were primarily recruited from announcements posted on the mailing lists hosted by ACOR. In all, 1,680 individuals’ responses were collected between November 14 and 20, 2006. Most respondents participate in the ACOR discussions as patients or caregivers and represent 87 of the 159 ACOR online communities.
