Skip to main content

Table 2 Association between participant characteristics and patient interval (n = 187)

From: From symptom discovery to treatment - women's pathways to breast cancer care: a cross-sectional study

Variable

Patient interval

 

N

Median

p-value

Agea

 Age ≤ 54 years

95

21

0.355

 Age > 54 years

90

29

 

Education

 None-Grade 7

43

35

0.807

 Grade 8-Grade 11

91

22

 

 Grade 12+

53

23

 

Marital status

 Married

76

31

0.163

 In stable relationship

6

10

 

 Single

41

15

 

 Widowed

35

26

 

 Divorced/separated

29

33

 

Paid work

 Yes

48

15

0.064

 No

139

28

 

Income statusb

 H0

59

32

0.668

 H1

76

17

 

 H2

30

19

 

 H3

19

33

 

Composite unprompted knowledge

 None

14

21.5

0.308

 Very little

160

23

 

 Little

13

19

 

History of co morbidities

 Benign breast disease/fibroadenoma

23

23

0.522

 Any other co-morbidity

104

22

 

 None

60

32

 

Family history of breast cancer

 Yes

74

23

0.953

 No

97

23

 

 Not sure

16

19

 

Habit of checking breasts for lumps/changes

 Yes

105

20

0.087

 No

82

31

 

First breast change notice

 Lump

140

22

0.785

 Other changes

47

23

 

Appraisal of first change

Thought it was not serious/minor

   

 Mentioned

92

33

0.027

 Not mentioned

95

15

 

Thought it was breast cancer

   

 Mentioned

59

12

0.005

 Not mentioned

128

31

 

Not sure what change meant

   

 Mentioned

109

27

0.413

 Not mentioned

78

20

 

Ignored it/was in denial

   

 Mentioned

7

111

0.003

 Not mentioned

180

22

 

Reason to have symptom checked

Felt painc

   

 Mentioned

54

27

0.550

 Not mentioned

132

22

 

Lump was increasing in sizec

   

 Mentioned

47

52

0.001

 Not mentioned

139

15

 

Prompted by family/friendsc

   

 Mentioned

92

31.5

0.053

 Not mentioned

94

15

 

Prompted by pamphlet/breast cancer awareness event/TV programc

   

 Mentioned

50

25

0.719

 Not mentioned

136

22

 

Wanted to be sure nothing was wrongc

   

 Mentioned

112

18

0.046

 Not mentioned

74

34

 

First health care provider seen

 Public sector primary health care clinic or district hospital

138

27

0.095

 Private practitioner

45

12

 

 Other

4

45

 

Cancer stage

 Early (stage 1&2)

144

20

0.199

 Late (stage 3&4)

43

33

 
  1. a 2 records missing, b 3 records missing, c 1 record missing.
  2. H0: persons on social grant; H1: individual income < $5366 per annum (p.a.) or family income < $7667 p.a.; H2: individual income between $5367 and $19,168 p.a. or family income between $7667 and $26,852 p.a.; and H3: individual income >$19,168 p.a. or family income > $26,852 p.a
Back to article page

BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

Contact us