Table 2 Illness Perception items

The presence of a lump or thickening in the breast

3.2

0.361

Nipple discharge

4.1

0.254

Sudden nipple retraction

7.0

0.072

Change in shape or appearance of the nipple

7.9

0.052

Breast swelling, dimpling, redness or soreness of the skin

3.6

0.305

Skin changes of the breast

4.7

0.193

A sudden change in breast size

1.5

0.682

Aching breasts

6.2

0.185

Stress or worry

2.8

0.250

Your mental attitude (e.g. thinking about life negatively)

12.0

0.008*

Family problems or worries

6.7

0.035*

Overwork

7.5

0.057

Your emotional state (e.g. feeling down, lonely, anxious, empty)

22.0

0.000*

Your personality

12.3

0.006*

Hereditary - it runs in the family

3.2

0.360

Diet or eating habits

1.9

0.590

Poor medical care in the past

1.4

0.699

Your own behaviour

3.8

0.282

Ageing

0.8

0.663

Smoking

0.5

0.927

Alcohol

0.0

0.979

A germ or virus

2.9

0.234

Pollution in the environment

2.8

0.428

Altered immunity

0.4

0.933

Chance or bad luck

1.0

0.908

Accident or injury

1.2

0.875

Breast cancer will last a short time

0.6

0.904

Breast cancer is likely to be permanent rather than temporary

4.8

0.089

A patient with breast cancer goes through cycles in which her illness gets better and worse

1.6

0.800

Breast cancer has major consequences on a patient’s life

2.1

0.559

Breast cancer will not have much effect on your life

2.4

0.662

Breast cancer would strongly affect the way others see you

4.4

0.351

Breast cancer has serious economic and financial consequences

0.8

0.840

Breast cancer would strongly affect the way you see yourself as a person

2.7

0.446

Breast cancer would threaten a relationship with your husband or partner

3.6

0.461

If you had breast cancer, your whole life would change

0.6

0.902

If you developed breast cancer, the chances of living a long life would decrease

0.8

0.844

There is a lot which you can do to control the symptoms if Breast Cancer occurs

1.3

0.869

The course of Breast Cancer will depend on your actions

1.7

0.646

Your actions will have an effect on the outcome of Breast Cancer

1.1

0.787

There is no treatment that will help to improve Breast Cancer

4.0

0.406

The treatment provided will be effective in controlling or curing Breast Cancer

0.5

0.926

The negative effects of Breast Cancer can be prevented or avoided by the treatment given

1.0

0.914

You have a clear picture and understanding of Breast Cancer

2.6

0.455

Breast Cancer is a mystery to you

1.7

0.786

You get anxious when you think about Breast Cancer

8.1

0.044*

Breast Cancer makes you feel afraid

0.7

0.875

You get worried when you think about Breast Cancer

0.7

0.871