Recall bias, self-reported exposure, and beliefs about disease causation in a case–control study of breast cancer

This thesis examined the interrelationship between recall bias, self-reported exposure to risk factors, and beliefs about disease causation in a breast cancer case-control study. The findings were that beliefs about disease causation did not necessarily drive study participants to under- or over-report exposure. Rather, participants' beliefs about disease causation may have developed from the combination of exposure and diagnosis. This thesis also reported that study participants held several misconceptions about established breast cancer risk factors, particularly alcohol. Awareness of established breast cancer risk factors was greater among younger and more educated women, and was not associated with disease status.