In the present study the beliefs of cancer women N100 regarding causation, consequences, controllability, and outcome of their health problems were compared with diabetic women N100. Both the patient groups showed differences in terms of beliefs in individual and supernatural causes. Cancer patients held a stronger belief in these causes as compared to diabetics. Cancer patients believed in interpersonal consequences more strongly than diabetic patients, who believed more in physiological consequences. The severity of illness perceived by cancer patients was positively correlated with the individual causes of illness. In the case of diabetic patients the severity of illness consequences were found to be positively correlated with psychosocial causation. Diabetic patients strongly believed that their disease was in control of self, while cancer patients believed in more severe outcomes of disease. The findings are discussed in the context of the current analysis of lay theories. Folk models of illness find due representation.