Knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors, traditional health beliefs, and Pap testing among Vietnamese American women.
BACKGROUND
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%) incorrectly believed poor women's 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.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm that Vietnamese women have lower levels of cervical cancer screening than non-Latina white women. Intervention programs addressing Pap testing in Vietnamese communities should recognize women's traditional beliefs while encouraging them to adopt biomedical preventive measures into their daily lives.
Do
H Hoai
HH
Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, PO Box 19024, M3-B232, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA. hdo@fhcrc.org
Taylor
Victoria M
VM
Burke
Nancy
N
Yasui
Yutaka
Y
Schwartz
Stephen M
SM
Jackson
J Carey
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology; D014861:Washington