The purpose of this study was to assess longitudinally the illness perception in young adults with cancer. Participants were 50 patients who answered socio-demographic and clinical data questionnaires and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ). Longitudinal results revealed no significant changes in illness perceptions over one-year period. However, perceptions about cancer causality were significantly different in the same period. Women presented more negative cognitive perceptions about cancer than men in Time 1 (T1), but in T2 women revealed more negative emotional perceptions about the cancer. It was concluded that illness perception over one-year period remained relatively stable, but there are strong evidence for differences between men and women.
Illness perception; coping; cancer; adult
