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Effect of Tribal Language Use on Colorectal Cancer Screening Among American Indians

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Abstract

American Indians have one of the lowest colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates for any racial/ethnic group in the U.S., yet reasons for their low screening participation are poorly understood. We examine whether tribal language use is associated with knowledge and use of CRC screening in a community-based sample of American Indians. Using logistic regression to estimate the association between tribal language use and CRC test knowledge and receipt we found participants speaking primarily English were no more aware of CRC screening tests than those speaking primarily a tribal language (OR = 1.16 [0.29, 4.63]). Participants who spoke only a tribal language at home (OR = 1.09 [0.30, 4.00]) and those who spoke both a tribal language and English (OR = 1.74 [0.62, 4.88]) also showed comparable odds of receipt of CRC screening. Study findings failed to support the concept that use of a tribal language is a barrier to CRC screening among American Indians.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by Native People for Cancer Control, a Community Networks Program sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (D. Buchwald, 1U01CA114642); the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research Native Investigator Program, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (S. Manson, P30AG/15297); the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (S. Manson, P01 HS10854); and the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (S. Manson, P60 MD000507). We also wish to express our appreciation to Lorencita Joshweseoma, Director, Hopi Department of Community Health Services, for her support and assistance with data collection and Dr. Sheilah Nicholas from the University of Arizona, Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies, for her expertise on the meaning and use of the Hopi language.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Development Sociology, Cornell University, 339 Warren Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Angela A. Gonzales

  2. Department of Sociology, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA

    Eva Garroutte

  3. Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Thanh G. N. Ton

  4. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jack Goldberg

  5. Seattle VA Epidemiologic Research and Education Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jack Goldberg

  6. Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Dedra Buchwald

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  1. Angela A. Gonzales
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Correspondence to Angela A. Gonzales.

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Gonzales, A.A., Garroutte, E., Ton, T.G.N. et al. Effect of Tribal Language Use on Colorectal Cancer Screening Among American Indians. J Immigrant Minority Health 14, 975–982 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9598-2

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