Table 1 Associations with demographic factors, health status, and anxiety for each cancer fear indicator*

Whole sample (6,527)

100

58.7

-

52.3

-

24.9

-

Gender

  Male (3,043)

46.6

54.7

χ ² = 37.88

49.6

χ ² = 16.84

20.4

χ ² = 60.66

  Female (3,484)

53.4

62.2

p < .001

54.7

p < .001

28.8

p < .001

Age

  < 60 years (3,300)

50.6

59.2

χ ² = 0.83

52.8

χ ² = 0.48

24.8

χ ² = 0.001

  ≥ 60 years (3,227)

49.4

58.1

p = .36

51.9

p = .49

24.9

p = .97

Educational qualifications

  Yes (2,412)

37.0

50.7

χ ² = 100.99

46.1

χ ² = 58.81

20.2

χ ² = 43.97

  No (4,115)

63.0

63.4

p < .001

56.0

p < .001

27.6

p < .001

Ethnicity

  White (6,242)

95.6

58.5

χ ² = 1.46

52.1

χ ² = 3.24

24.3

χ ² = 24.24

  Not White (285)

4.4

62.1

p = .23

57.5

p = .07

37.2

p < .001

Marital status

  Married or cohabiting (4,877)

74.7

58.7

χ ² = 0.01

51.5

χ ² = 5.32

23.8

χ ² = 10.73

  Not married or cohabiting (1,650)

25.3

58.5

p = .91

54.8

p < .05

27.9

p < .01

General health

  Excellent/good (4,591)

70.3

57.3

χ ² = 11.37

49.6

χ ² = 46.56

21.3

χ ² = 102.64

  Fair/poor (1,936)

29.7

61.8

p < .01

58.8

p < .001

33.2

p < .001

Anxiety

  Low (3,624)

55.5

53.8

χ ² = 81.05

45.0

χ ² = 176.87

17.4

χ ² = 244.14

  High (2,903)

44.4

64.8

p < .001

61.5

p < .001

34.2

p < .001