Table 4 Comparisons of the CSDS scores of participants with different characteristics (Mean ± SD)

Gender

male

917

6.81 ± 5.23

0.077

female

2690

6.49 ± 4.57

Age

≤18 years

1566

6.82 ± 4.81

0.008

>18 years

2023

6.39 ± 4.68

Nationality

Han

2710

6.48 ± 4.70

0.061

other minorities

899

6.83 ± 4.88

School

School A

1411

6.16 ± 4.78

<0.001

School B

753

6.15 ± 4.35

School C

750

6.50 ± 4.46

School D

299

7.34 ± 4.78

School E

397

8.38 ± 5.32

Major

clinic medicine

1182

5.85 ± 4.43

<0.001

nursing

1017

6.92 ± 4.77

other medical majors

262

6.88 ± 5.28

non-medical majors

1149

6.92 ± 4.82

Grade

freshman

1380

6.33 ± 4.48

<0.001

sophomore

1438

6.99 ± 5.01

junior

791

6.21 ± 4.65

Current schooling degree

secondary vocational school

668

7.88 ± 5.14

<0.001

specialized vocational college

879

6.75 ± 4.67

university/college

2054

6.07 ± 4.55

Residence

rural area

2337

6.78 ± 4.72

<0.001

urban area

1250

6.16 ± 4.72

Family income

≤ 3500 yuan

1638

6.68 ± 4.73

0.623

>3500 yuan

1613

6.60 ± 4.78

Number of family members

≤3 people

820

6.03 ± 4.73

<0.001

≥4 people

2764

6.73 ± 4.74

Guardian’s education

Primary school and below

745

6.86 ± 4.85

<0.001

middle school

1656

6.80 ± 4.71

high school/ secondary vocational school

698

6.37 ± 4.78

specialized vocational college

232

5.55 ± 4.37

university/college and above

251

5.67 ± 4.66

Self-rated health

well

1975

6.25 ± 4.66

<0.001

not well

1627

6.97 ± 4.82

Having chronic diseases or NOT

no

3392

6.56 ± 4.71

0.427

yes

208

6.83 ± 5.28

History of cancer in close relatives

no

3208

6.63 ± 4.77

0.027

yes

399

6.08 ± 4.56

History of cancer in close friends

no

3426

6.57 ± 4.73

0.926

yes

182

6.54 ± 5.04

History of care for cancer patients

no

3367

6.64 ± 4.75

0.001

yes

231

5.59 ± 4.52

Family relation

harmonious

3062

6.47 ± 4.67

0.002

inharmonious

546

7.15 ± 5.12

Personality

introversive

590

6.56 ± 4.66

0.957

non-introversive

3011

6.57 ± 4.77

Ways of cancer knowledge acquisition

≤3

1797

5.94 ± 4.34

<0.001

≥4

1809

7.19 ± 5.03

Understanding of cancer knowledge

very

658

5.77 ± 4.75

<0.001

fair

2317

6.63 ± 4.67

little

628

7.19 ± 4.93

SELF-perceived cancer danger

so so

1411

6.23 ± 4.44

0.001

very much

2196

6.79 ± 4.92

Degree of cancer fear

very much

2036

7.10 ± 4.88

<0.001

not so much

1569

5.88 ± 4.47

Perception of cancer contagiousness

not contagious

1992

6.22 ± 4.58

<0.001

not sure

958

6.99 ± 4.94

contagious

654

7.02 ± 4.85