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Awareness of anticancer vaccines among Asian American women with limited English proficiency: An opportunity for improved public health communication

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Abstract

Background. Asian Americans suffer from liver and cervical cancers, both vaccine preventable, yet vaccine awareness has not been described. Methods. Cross-sectional survey (6 languages, 380 adult women). Results. Those with limited English proficiency (LEP) were less likely to have accurate knowledge of cervical cancer vaccine (44% vs. 76%, among the 34% aware of any cancer-preventive vaccines) and were more likely to believe vaccines existed for nonvaccine-preventable cancers. Awareness of anti-liver cancer vaccine was low for both LEP and non-LEP women. Conclusion. There is a great need to educate Asian Americans about vaccinepreventable cancers, especially among LEP women.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, 2 Gates/HUP, 3400 Spruce Street, 19104, Philadelphia, PA

    Giang T. Nguyen MD, MPH, MSCE

  2. Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

    Giang T. Nguyen MD, MPH, MSCE

  3. Graduate Program in Public Health Studies, Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

    Giang T. Nguyen MD, MPH, MSCE

  4. Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

    Amy E. Leader DRPH, MPH

  5. Pennsylvania Division, American Cancer Society, Southeast Region, Philadelphia, PA

    Wan Ling Hung BS

Authors
  1. Giang T. Nguyen MD, MPH, MSCE
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  2. Amy E. Leader DRPH, MPH
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  3. Wan Ling Hung BS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giang T. Nguyen MD, MPH, MSCE.

Additional information

Supported by a Cancer Control Career Development Award from the American Cancer Society (GTN; CCCDA-05-161-01), a Pfizer Fellowship in Health Literacy/Clear Health Communication (GTN), the National Cancer Institute (AEL; P50CA095856), and the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands (AEL).

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Nguyen, G.T., Leader, A.E. & Hung, W.L. Awareness of anticancer vaccines among Asian American women with limited English proficiency: An opportunity for improved public health communication. J Canc Educ 24, 280–283 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1080/08858190902973127

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08858190902973127

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