title: Barriers faced by Vietnamese immigrant women in Taiwan who do not regularly undergo cervical screenings: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess and understand the barriers faced by Vietnamese marital immigrant women who do not regularly undergo cervical screenings in Southeast Taiwan.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown a low uptake rate of preventive medical services among immigrants. As immigrant women may not be aware of the healthcare delivery system in their host country, their uptake of and access to healthcare services might be limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative, descriptive inquiry design was adopted.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study employed semi-structured, individual, in-depth interviews of 17 Vietnamese immigrant women. Data were collected from February-July 2011 and analysed using content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The barriers to receiving cervical screening were lack of health literacy, lack of female healthcare providers, negative perceptions of cervical screening and personal reasons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results might serve as a reference for government entities and healthcare providers in Taiwan to improve cervical screening rates; this should help enhance the effectiveness of healthcare services for Vietnamese immigrant women. The findings can also provide a reference for making appropriate healthcare policies for immigrant women in other countries.
authors: Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.|College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.
authors: Fang Hsin
authors: FH
authors: Lee
authors: College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.
authors: Hsiu Hung
authors: HH
authors: Wang
authors: College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors: Yung Mei
authors: YM
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Hsiu Min
authors: HM
authors: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D013624:Taiwan; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: Vietnamese; barriers; cancer nurse; cervical cancer; cervical screening; immigrant women; qualitative method