Table 3.
Factor Loadings of EFA with a Forced 3-Factor Solution (Step II, Study Population N=231)
| Item | Factor 1 (Internalized Stigma) | Factor 2 (Perceived Stigma) | Factor 3 (Constrained Disclosure) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. I have been angry at tobacco companies for their role in causing lung cancer. | .280 | −.072 | .267 |
| 2. I have felt ashamed about getting lung cancer. | .413 | .222 | .343 |
| 3. People have assumed that lung cancer is always caused by smoking. | .229 | .178 | .139 |
| 4. I have blamed myself for having lung cancer. | .888 | .091 | −.166 |
| 5. I have tended to blame myself for my lung cancer. | .855 | .098 | −.100 |
| 6. I have felt bad about the burden that lung cancer puts on my family. | .446 | −.090 | .309 |
| 7. Because of my lung cancer, I have worried about being a burden to others. | .451 | .028 | .200 |
| 8. I have been careful who I’ve told about my lung cancer. | −.118 | −.113 | .795 |
| 9. I have felt I did something to cause my lung cancer. | .797 | .130 | −.125 |
| 10. Thinking about lung cancer has made me wish I had lived my life differently. | .818 | −.095 | −.066 |
| 11. I have been concerned that doctors did not catch my lung cancer as early as they should have. | .196 | −.048 | .327 |
| 12. I have felt guilty about my lung cancer. | .710 | .174 | .161 |
| 13. It has been hard to tell people that I have lung cancer. | .060 | −.125 | .804 |
| 14. I have kept information about my lung cancer to myself. | −.037 | .101 | .676 |
| 15. Having lung cancer has made me feel like I’ve made mistakes. | .841 | .059 | −.016 |
| 16. I have noticed more fundraising efforts for other cancers compared to lung cancer. | .295 | .003 | .105 |
| 17. I have thought that past behavior contributed to my lung cancer. | .748 | .157 | −.153 |
| 18. I have wondered if I could have prevented lung cancer by changing certain behaviors. | .770 | −.044 | −.004 |
| 19. I have felt regret about my lung cancer. | .619 | −.097 | .086 |
| 20. I have regretted telling certain people about my lung cancer. | −.071 | .258 | .555 |
| 21. I have had an urge to keep my lung cancer a secret. | .032 | .018 | .765 |
| 22. I have stopped spending time with some people since my lung cancer diagnosis. | .018 | .226 | .457 |
| 23. People have judged me negatively for having lung cancer. | .076 | .482 | .248 |
| 24. Family or friends have told me I was to blame for getting lung cancer. | −.132 | .682 | −.074 |
| 25. Because of my lung cancer, I have been treated poorly by others. | −.126 | .495 | .198 |
| 26. People have said that those with lung cancer get what they deserve. | .119 | .440 | .024 |
| 27. Medical providers have told me that I caused my lung cancer. | .101 | .383 | −.058 |
| 28. People who don’t know me well have blamed me for getting lung cancer. | .107 | .538 | .137 |
| 29. I have wondered whether I would have gotten better medical care if I had another type of cancer. | .085 | .181 | .284 |
| 30. People close to me have thought I was to blame for my lung cancer. | .253 | .643 | .004 |
| 31. I have not gotten as much support from family or friends compared to people with other types of cancer. | −.001 | .225 | .168 |
| 32. My family or friends have blamed me for having lung cancer. | .106 | .783 | −.136 |
| 33. When people who don’t know me well have learned about my lung cancer, they have asked if I smoked. | .168 | .224 | −.079 |
| 34. Friends or family have considered me responsible for getting lung cancer. | .186 | .596 | .022 |
| 35. People have told me I was to blame for getting lung cancer. | −.100 | .716 | −.139 |
| 36. Medical providers have judged me negatively because I have lung cancer. | .063 | .372 | .054 |
| 37. People have treated me poorly because of my lung cancer. | −.160 | .725 | .083 |
Note. Gray indicates items that were retained in factors for final LCSI. Red indicates items removed due to content redundancy.