Table 3.
Factor loading for the construct “immune status”
| Item | Factor 1 loading | Factor 2 loading | Factor 3 loading | Factor 4 loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergies: | ||||
| Hay fever | 0.64 | |||
| Bee venom | ||||
| Food | 0.60 | |||
| Dust mites | 0.65 | |||
| Animal hair | 0.78 | |||
| Contact allergy | ||||
| Drug allergy | 0.44 | |||
| Rheumatic diseases | ||||
| Autoimmune diseases | ||||
| Diseases of the skin | ||||
| Asthma | 0.47 | |||
| Surgical removal of: | ||||
| Tonsils | 0.61 | |||
| Adenoid glands | 0.48 | |||
| Appendix | ||||
| Thymus | 0.78 | |||
| Number of shingle infections | 0.46 | |||
| Ever had an operation | 0.60 | |||
| 12-month prevalence of infections: | ||||
| Upper respiratory tract infections | 0.55 | |||
| Lower respiratory tract infections | ||||
| Gastro-intestinal tract infections | 0.65 | |||
| Herpes | ||||
| Furuncle | 0.43 | |||
| Urinary tract infections | 0.61 | |||
| Kidney/pelvis | 0.76 | |||
To calculate a score for “immune status”, 25 items were included in an EFA. Four factors were extracted following scree test criteria. Presented are only factor loadings > 0.40 or < − 0.40