Table 1 Participants’ demographic and medical characteristics (N = 89)

Age (years)

53.5 (11.5)

Marital status

 Married/Cohabitating

62 (69.7)

 Separated/Divorced

22 (24.7)

 Single

4 (4.5)

 Widowed

1 (1.1)

Education completed

 Primary school

3 (3.4)

 High school

17 (19.1)

 College

26 (29.2)

 University

42 (47.2)

 Other

1 (1.1)

Occupation

 Full time work

53 (59.6)

 Part-time work

7 (7.9)

 Sick leave

3 (3.4)

 Unemployed/looking for work

1 (1.1)

 Retired

22 (24.7)

 Unpaid family work

2 (2.2)

 Other

1 (1.1)

Family income

 $40 000 and less

8 (9.0)

 $40 001–60 000

14 (15.7)

 $60 001–80 000

17 (19.1)

 $80 001- 100 000

6 (6.7)

 $100 001- 120 000

17 (19.1)

 $120 001 and more

20 (22.5)

 I don’t know or refuse to answer

7 (7.9)

Number of months since the most recent cancer diagnosis

95.9 (78.5)

Number of months since the most recent preventive surgery

70.0 (53.9)

Genetic mutation*

 BRCA 1

43 (48.3)

 BRCA 2

48 (53.9)

Knowledge of the mutation at the time of cancer diagnosis

 Yes

16 (18.0)

 No

73 (82.0)

Preventive mastectomy

 Surgery performed

56 (62.9)

 Surgery considered and planned

2 (2.2)

 Surgery considered, but not yet planned

8 (9.0)

 Surgery not performed and not considered

23 (25.8)

Preventive mastectomy performed

 Unilateral

13 (23.2)

 Bilateral

43 (76.8)

Breast reconstruction

 Yes

51 (58.2)

 No

38 (41.8)

Time of reconstruction

 During mastectomy (immediate reconstruction)

37 (72.5)

 After mastectomy (delayed reconstruction)

14 (27.5)

Preventive salpingo-oophorectomy

 Surgery performed

67 (75.3)

 Surgery considered and planned

6 (6.7)

 Surgery considered, but not yet planned

10 (11.2)

 Surgery not performed and not considered

6 (6.7)

Number of first-degree relatives who have developed cancer

 0

20 (22.5)

 1

34 (38.2)

 2

17 (19.1)

 3 and more

18 (20.2)

Number of second-degree relatives who have developed cancer

 0

6 (6.7)

 1

12 (13.5)

 2

10 (11.2)

 3 and more

61 (68.6)