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Table 3 Association between participant characteristics and diagnostic interval (n = 193)

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

Variable

Diagnostic interval

 

N

Median

p-value

Agea

 Age ≤ 54 years

95

23

0.370

 Age > 54 years

96

30

 

Education

 None-Grade 7

48

30

0.839

 Grade 8-Grade 11

93

23

 

 Grade 12+

52

25

 

Marital status

 Married

82

29

0.673

 In stable relationship

6

15

 

 Single

40

23

 

 Widowed

34

28

 

 Divorced/separated

31

22

 

Paid work

 Yes

50

27

0.654

 No

143

28

 

Income statusb

 H0

63

34

0.757

 H1

76

23

 

 H2

32

27

 

 H3

19

22

 

Composite unprompted knowledgea

 None

16

24

0.300

 Very little

164

25

 

 Little

13

34

 

History of co-morbidities

 History of benign breast disease/fibroadenoma

24

48

0.004

 Any other co-morbidity

105

29

 

 None

64

20

 

Family history of breast cancer

 Yes

75

23

0.635

 No

100

28

 

 Not sure

18

35

 

Habit of checking breasts for lumps/changes

 Yes

108

30

0.172

 No

85

25

 

First breast change noticedc

 Lump in breast

140

23

0.155

 Other changes

49

34

 

Appraisal of first change

Thought it was not serious/minorc

  

0.047

 Mentioned

94

31.5

 

 Not mentioned

95

22

 

Thought it was breast cancer c

   

 Mentioned

58

22

0.346

 Not mentioned

131

29

 

Not sure what change meantc

   

 Mentioned

115

27

0.206

 Not mentioned

74

26

 

Ignored it/was in denial

   

 Mentioned

6

11

0.010

 Not mentioned

187

29

 

Reason to have symptom checked

Felt paind

   

 Mentioned

56

30

0.443

 Not mentioned

132

23

 

Lump was increasing in sized

   

 Mentioned

47

23

0.459

 Not mentioned

141

29

 

Prompted by family/friendsd

   

 Mentioned

94

23

0.486

 Not mentioned

94

30

 

Prompted by pamphlet/breast cancer awareness event/TV programd

   

 Mentioned

48

21

0.317

 Not mentioned

140

29

 

Wanted to be sure nothing was wrongd

   

 Mentioned

116

23

0.180

 Not mentioned

72

34

 

First health care provider seenb

 Public sector primary health care clinic or district hospitalb

138

30

0.510

 Private practitioner

48

24

 

 Other

4

14

 

Cancer stage

 Early (stage 1&2)

154

28

0.825

 Late (stage 3&4)

39

21

 
  1. a 2 missing records, b 3 missing records, c 4 missing records, d 5 missing records.
  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
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BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

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