Sas program

Analysis of variance was carried out with the SAS program (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) for the test variables viz., and disease intensity and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) were performed as per procedure. The statistical model consists of the following mathematical expression.

where:

Yij = observation of ith individual (g = 1 − i) in jth replication (r = 1 − k);

μ = general mean;

gi = effect of the ith genotype;

rj = effect of jth replication;

eij = random error related with ijth observations.

After the T1 survey completion, couples will be randomized to the standardized SCP or the ESCP groups using a 1:1 ratio; 25 couples in each group (N=50 couples). The study statistician will generate, using an SAS program (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), a stratified permuted block randomization plan with varying block sizes. The randomization will be stratified by type of treatment (surgery, radiation, radiation plus hormonal therapy) because we believe that treatment type correlates with symptoms and QOL [38 (link)]. The health educator will administer this allocation sequence and send couples a letter and message via mail, email, and phone explaining their group assignment and study activities. After randomization, all participants will receive the standardized SCPs plus the Web link to our study website that is inserted at the end of the SCP using Smart Phrase in the electronic medical record Epic system. Following SCP delivery by clinicians, the interventionist will assign all participants their usernames and passwords and invite them to log into the study website embedded in the SCP via email, telephone, or mail. Other team members will be blinded to the treatment allocation until the end of the study, whereas the interventionist who knows the treatment allocation will not conduct surveys or interviews.

Data from all assays were analyzed by one-way ANOVA by PROC GLM for continuous variables using SAS program (SAS Institute Inc., 1989 ). The means were compared by least squared difference (LSD) test at Type I error = 0.05.