Table 1 Questionnaire dimensions and items
From: Development and validation of a questionnaire to assess delay in treatment for breast cancer
1. Means of problem identification (self discovery or screening) | |
|---|---|
2. First symptom identified by the patient | |
3. Patient initial interpretations of symptoms | |
Perceived seriousness | Initial worry |
Initial interpretation of cancer | |
4. Breast cancer symptoms present at arrival to the cancer hospital | |
Lymphadenopathies | Breast ulcer |
Breast pain | Breast pruritus |
Arm pain | Breast enlargement |
Paresthesias of breast and/or ipsilateral arm | Form changes of the breast |
Breast skin changes | Nipple discharge |
5. Most worrisome symptom for the patient | |
6. Patient's reason for seeking medical care (appearance of symptoms/persistence of symptoms/worsening of symptoms) | |
7. Patient's perception of delay | |
Perception of patient delay | Perception of provider delay |
8. Patient's perceived reasons for patient delay | |
Thought symptoms would resolve alone | Carelessness/neglect |
Didn't know where to seek care | Fear |
Lack of financial resources | Embarrassment |
Difficulty to miss work | Taking care of young children, older or ill relatives |
9. Patient's perceived barriers to have caused provider delay | |
Lack of information of health services | Lack of financial resources |
Fear | Difficulty to miss work |
Perceived errors in diagnosis of first doctors consulted | Perceived long waiting times for medical appointments |
Had to take care of youngsters, elders or ill relatives | Had to borrow money to get medical care |
Financing source for payment of health care | |
10. Health service utilization | |
First health service used (public, private, other) | Breast ultrasound requested by first doctor consulted |
Number of different health services consulted | Biopsy requested by first consulted doctor |
Diagnostic impression of the first doctor consulted | Health service of referral to hospital |
Mammogram requested by the first consulted doctor | Biopsy done previous to arrival at hospital |
11. Social network support for seeking medical attention | |
Instrumental support | Sex of person of most support |
Emotional support | Size of network activated for breast problem |
Recommendations to consult a doctor | Sex of social network members |
Financial support | Kinship with members of her social network |
Company to medical consultations | Sex of first person who she told |
Kinship with person of most support | Number of women older than 15 living at same household |
12. Time between identification of the problem and the first time to talk to someone about it | |
13. Use of alternative medicine | |
14. Cancer-related knowledge | |
Knowledge of a person with cancer | Has heard about mammograms |
Knowledge of mammograms' utility | Knowledge of recommended age for first screening mammogram |
15. Cancer screening practices | |
Last Pap smear | Screening Breast Clinical Exam before current breast problem |
Mammograms before current breast problem | Breast Self Examination practice |
16. Dates | |
Symptom discovery | First medical consultation |