Table 2. Participant Psychosocial Characteristics.
| Variable (M ± SD or %) | Younger women (n = 452) |
Middle-aged women (n = 167) |
p a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimism (range: 8-40) | 26.88 ± 5.42 | 29.29 ± 5.18 | <0.001 |
| Internal health locus of control (range: 6-36) | 25.65 ± 3.93 | 25.44 ± 4.23 | 0.57 |
| Chancel health locus of control (range: 6-36) | 17.17 ± 4.39 | 16.66 ± 4.94 | 0.21 |
| Powerful others health locus of control (range: 6-36) | 19.23 ± 3.87 | 18.90 ± 4.29 | 0.39 |
| Social exposure to CVD (number of women) | 0.52 ± 0.97 | 1.19 ± 1.42 | <0.001 |
| Social exposure to breast cancer (number of women) | 0.72 ± 0.97 | 2.31 ± 1.75 | <0.001 |
| Social exposure to lung cancer (number of women) | 0.21 ± 0.54 | 0.53 ± 0.78 | <0.001 |
| Perceptions of stigma for CVD (range: 0-3) | 1.01 ± 0.77 | 1.12 ± 0.85 | 0.14 |
| Perceptions of stigma for breast cancer (range: 0-3) | 0.74 ± 0.82 | 0.81 ± 0.80 | 0.29 |
| Perceptions of stigma for lung cancer (range: 0-3) | 1.49 ± 0.86 | 1.31 ± 0.92 | 0.02 |
| Family history of CVD (yes) | 28.5% | 51.5% | <0.001b |
| Family history of breast cancer (yes) | 18.8% | 28.1% | 0.02b |
| Family history of lung cancer (yes) | 16.8% | 16.2% | 0.94b |
| Body mass index | 22.51 ± 4.07 | 26.92 ± 6.32 | <0.001 |
| Exercise (range: 0-4) | 2.24 ± 1.23 | 2.38 ± 1.40 | 0.25 |
| Balanced diet (range: 0-4) | 2.43 ± 0.99 | 2.92 ± 0.85 | <0.001 |
| Monitor calories (range: 0-4) | 1.42 ± 1.32 | 1.87 ± 1.25 | <0.001 |
| Vitamin use (range: 0-4) | 1.30 ± 1.30 | 2.35 ± 1.51 | <0.001 |
| Alcohol use (range: 0-4) | 1.52 ± 1.19 | 1.48 ± 1.14 | 0.72 |
| Cigarette use (yes) | 24.6% | 18.6% | 0.14 |
Note. CVD=cardiovascular disease.
a
t-tests were used to compute p values unless noted.
b
Pearson chi-square significance test used to compute p value.