title: Engaging traditional medicine providers in colorectal cancer screening education in a chinese american community: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is effective in preventing colon cancer, it remains underused by Asian Americans. Because Chinese Americans often use traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), we conducted a pilot study to explore the feasibility and acceptability of having TCM providers deliver education about CRC screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four TCM providers (2 herbalists and 2 acupuncturists) were trained to deliver small-group educational sessions to promote CRC screening. Each provider recruited 15 participants aged 50 to 75. Participants completed a baseline survey on CRC-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and then attended one 2-hour educational session delivered by the providers in Cantonese or Mandarin. Three months later, participants completed a postintervention survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty participants were recruited from the San Francisco Chinatown neighborhood. The average age was 62.4 years. Most participants had limited English proficiency (96.7%), annual household income less than $20,000 per year (60%), and low educational attainment (65.1% < high school education). At postintervention (n = 57), significant increases were found in having heard of CRC (from 52.6% to 79.0%, P < .001) and colon polyps (from 64.9% to 84.2%, P < .001). Knowledge regarding screening frequency recommendations also increased significantly. The rate of ever having received any CRC screening test increased from 71.9% to 82.5% (P <.001). The rate of up-to-date screening increased from 70.2% to 79.0% (P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that TCM providers can be trained to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach on CRC screening within their community. Participants reached by TCM providers increased CRC knowledge and self-reported CRC screening.
authors.affiliation: 1600 Holloway Ave, Bldg HSS 327, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132-4161. E-mail: wangjun@sfsu.edu. Dr Wang is also affiliated with the Asian American Research Center on Health, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: San Francisco State University, Asian American Research Center on Health, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: University of California and Asian American Research Center on Health, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Janice Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tsoh
authors.affiliation: Ginny Gildengorin, Ching Wong, University of California, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Gem M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, California; Elaine Chow, NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Ginny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gildengorin
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Ching
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.affiliation: NICOS Chinese Health Coalition and Asian American Research Center on Health, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: University of California and Asian American Research Center on Health, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Tung T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012495:San Francisco; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors