Table 3.

Variance explained and reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha) for each of the 12 factors

Factor	Items	Reliability analysis	% Variance explained	Cumulative  % variance explained
1 Emotional/spiritual	Anger or frustration, difficulty making plans, guilt, hopelessness, loneliness or isolation, loss of faith or other spiritual concerns, loss of interest/activities, loss of meaning or purpose in life, sadness or depression, worry, fear or anxiety	α = 0.784	15.574	15.574
2 Oral effectsa	Memory and concentrationa, sore or dry mouth, speech problems, taste/sight/hearing	α = 0.459	5.097	20.671
3 Activities of daily living	Getting around, housework or shopping, preparing meals or drinks, washing and dressing	α = 0.687	3.360	24.031
4 Caring/relationships	Caring responsibilities, children, other relatives/friends, partner	α = 0.610	2.955	26.986
5 Surgery	Contact/communication with NHS staff, wound care after surgery	α = 0.199	2.732	29.718
6 Physiological effects	High temperature or fever, hot flushes/sweating, sleep problems/nightmares, tired/exhausted or fatigued	α = 0.480	2.595	32.313
7 Toilet/pain	Breathing difficulties, Constipation, pain, passing urine, swollen tummy or limb	α = 0.456	2.524	34.837
8 Gut	Diarrhoea, eating or appetite, indigestion, nausea or vomiting	α = 0.450	2.372	37.209
9 Treatment outcomes	Dry, itchy or sore skin, tingling in hands/feet	α = 0.273	2.303	39.512
10 Practical	Insurance and travel, money or housing, transport or parking, work and education	α = 0.479	2.234	41.746
11 Sexuality	My appearance, sexuality	α = 0.317	2.222	43.968
12 Weight	Changes in weight	One item only	2.166	46.084

^aMemory and concentration are clearly conceptually unrelated to the other three items pertaining to oral effects. The categorization of this factor as oral effects therefore only represents conceptual commonalities between three of the four items