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Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Vietnamese American Women

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Abstract

This study examines Pap testing behavior among 265 Vietnamese American women aged 18 or above. A community-based survey was conducted with Vietnamese women in five cities: Houston (TX), Springfield (MA), Camden (NJ), Charlotte (NC), and Falls Church (VA). Seventy-five percent of the study sample ever received a Pap test, 45 % within the last 12 months. Women’s perceived risks of cancer, belief that cancer can be detected early with screening, and disagreement that it is embarrassing to get tested and that only married women should get tested are related to Pap testing. Having health insurance is the most important predictor of Pap testing. Main reasons for not having tested in the last 12 months include: feeling well, having no insurance, and high costs. Interventions should improve financial access to Pap testing among Vietnamese American women. Results also suggest that future communication programs should emphasize preventive practices and change traditional attitudes and misconceptions related to Pap testing.

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Acknowledgments

This study is conducted as part of the Health Awareness and Prevention Project: A Cancer Focus, funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Boat People SOS (BPSOS) is the implementing agency and Tulane University is the evaluator of the project. The author would like to thank BPSOS staff, including the project managers (Quynh Nguyen and Tranh Nguyen) and BPSOS branch staff in Houston (TX), Springfield (MA), Camden (NJ), Charlotte (NC), and Falls Church (VA) (including nearly MD and DC areas) for their contributions to the evaluation of this project. Special thanks also go to Quyen To for his assistance in the data entry and Soham Rajpara for his contribution to the literature review for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Health System and Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Mai Do

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  1. Mai Do
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Correspondence to Mai Do.

Appendix

Appendix

Questions that were used to measure acculturation among Vietnamese immigrants.

Questions 1–6 employed a 4-point Likert scale: 1 = very well, 2 = pretty well, 3 = not too well, and 4 = not at all.

  1. 1.

    How well do you speak English?

  2. 2.

    How well do you write English?

  3. 3.

    How well do you understand English?

  4. 4.

    How well do you speak Vietnamese?

  5. 5.

    How well do you write Vietnamese?

  6. 6.

    How well do you understand Vietnamese?

Questions 7–17 employed a 5-point Likert scale: 1 = only Vietnamese, 2 = mostly Vietnamese, 3 = Vietnamese and English/American equally, 4 = mostly English/American, and 5 = only English/American. “Not applicable” cases were recoded to the median score of the other cases.

  1. 7.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use with your spouse?

  2. 8.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use with your children?

  3. 9.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use with your parents?

  4. 10.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use with your friends?

  5. 11.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use with your neighbors?

  6. 12.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use at work?

  7. 13.

    Which language, Vietnamese or English, are you most likely to use at family gatherings?

  8. 14.

    Why types of close friends to you see every day?

  9. 15.

    Why types of neighbors to you see every day?

  10. 16.

    Why types of coworkers to you see every day?

  11. 17.

    Why kind of food do you prefer?

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Do, M. Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Vietnamese American Women. J Immigrant Minority Health 17, 756–764 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9925-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9925-2

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