Table 1.

Factor loadings based on maximum likelihood extraction with direct oblimin rotation for the EBBS

		Fear of outcome	Embarrassment	Insertion disgust	Faecal disgust
1	Collecting a sample of my own faeces/poo on a swab stick is really nasty				.658
2	The idea of posting a sample of my faeces to my doctor or a laboratory is embarrassing
3	The idea of putting anything, even diagnostic equipment into my anus is disgusting			−.630
4	I am afraid that giving a stool sample might lead to discovering I have cancer	.831
5	I would be so concerned about being diagnosed with bowel cancer that I would avoid testing	.641
6	The idea of having to gather a sample of my own faeces makes me feel sick				.835
7	Having anything guided up my bottom and into my bowel is disgusting			−.886
8	Holding a container of my own faeces (poo) is disgusting				.578
9	I would worry that stool testing would find something wrong with me	.948
10	Giving a stool/faecal sample for testing is really embarrassing		.507
11	The idea of having a short, lighted tube inserted into my anus is gross			−.960
12	Imagining that other people know I am collecting stool samples for testing would be embarrassing		.780
13	Collecting my own faeces/poo is so disgusting I think I would gag				.582
14	I feel uncomfortable when a doctor or nurse describes bowel screening
15	I feel anxious when I think about conducting a stool test
16	Imagining the feeling of having a screening instrument inserted into my rectum makes me feel ill			−.822
17	I would feel humiliated if someone found a faecal collection kit I had been given		.715
18	The possibility that collecting faeces for a bowel test might be a bit messy is revolting
19	I am afraid that I might hurt myself somehow during stool collection
20	Having to insert preparatory medications into my bottom before a bowel cancer test is disgusting			−.566

Note. Loadings of less than .5 are suppressed