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J Immigrant Health (2007) 9:109114 DOI 10.1007/s10903-006-9025-7
ORIGINAL PAPER
Knowledge about Cervical Cancer Risk Factors, Traditional Health Beliefs, and Pap Testing Among Vietnamese American Women
H. Hoai Do Victoria M. Taylor Nancy Burke Yutaka Yasui Stephen M. Schwartz J. Carey Jackson
Published online: 13 December 2006
C
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2006
Abstract Introduction: The objective of this paper was to examine knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors and traditional health beliefs in relation to Papanicolaou (Pap) testing among Vietnamese women.
Methods: A population-based survey was conducted in Seattle (n < 352, response rate = 82%) during 2002.
Results: The proportions of women who knew that older age, not getting regular Pap tests, and Vietnamese ethnicity are associated with an elevated cervical cancer risk were only 53%, 62%, and 23%, respectively. The majority (87%)
H. H. Do ([envelopeback]) V. M. Taylor S. M. Schwartz Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,PO Box 19024, M3-B232, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA e-mail: [email protected]
H. H. Do J. C. Jackson Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
V. M. TaylorDepartment of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
N. BurkeComprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
Y. YasuiDepartment of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, USA
S. M. SchwartzDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
J. C. JacksonDepartment of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
incorrectly believed poor womens hygiene is a risk factor for cervical cancer. Approximately two-thirds (68%) of the women had received a Pap test during the preceding three years. Knowing that lack of Pap testing increases the risk of cervical cancer was strongly associated (p < 0.001) with recent Pap smear receipt.
Conclusion: Our results conrm that Vietnamese women have lower levels of cervical cancer screening than nonLatina white women. Intervention programs addressing Pap testing in Vietnamese communities should recognize womens traditional beliefs while encouraging them to adopt biomedical preventive measures into their daily lives.
Keywords Pap testing . Cervical cancer risk factors . Traditional health beliefs . Vietnamese Americans
Introduction
Currently, an estimated 1,123,000 Vietnamese live in the United States (US) and 46,000 Vietnamese live in Washington State [1]. It is projected that the Vietnamese American population will increase to four million within...