Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of breast and cervical cancer screening among vietnamese women

Abstract

The Vietnamese are the fastest-growing Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic group in California. Data from Vietnam and elsewhere suggest that cervical cancer and breast cancer are major contributors to cancer morbidity and mortality among Vietnamese women. However, little is known about the cancer knowledge and screening practices of Vietnamese women. Using a structured 57-item written questionnaire, we conducted a mailed survey of 400 randomly selected Vietnamese adult women in San Francisco. Overall, 107 women responded (31%). Of the respondents, 54 (52%) indicated that there was little one could do to prevent cancer. More than a third (39%) thought that breast or cervical cancer could be caused by poor hygiene, and about one-third (29%) thought that these cancers could be contagious. Although virtually all (97%) had heard of cancer, one-third did not know that a breast lump could be a sign of breast cancer (37%) or that abnormal vaginal bleeding could be a sign of cervical cancer (39%). Many (55%) did not know that family history was a risk factor for breast cancer and three-fourths (74%) did not know that having multiple sexual partners was a risk factor for cervical cancer. Fourteen (13%) had not heard of breast self-examination. Of 31 women aged > or = 40, 10 (34%) had never had a mammogram, and of 92 women aged > or = 18, 50 (54%) had never had a Papanicolaou test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mammography screening among Chinese‐American women

“…38 -42 Similar to prior surveys of Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, and Chinese-American women, 17,22,[43][44][45] our results underscore the importance of medical personnel as an avenue to promote mammography screening for Chinese-American women. Although recommendations by family and friends were correlated with screening, only recommendations by medical personnel remained significant in our multivariate analysis.…”

Effect of Payment Incentives on Cancer Screening in Ontario Primary Care

“…Other patients may need access to a female provider 32 or education to address misconceptions before agreeing to be screened. 33 Small financial incentives directed to individual physicians are not likely to influence these factors.…”

“…Other patients may need access to a female provider 32 or education to address misconceptions before agreeing to be screened. 33 Small financial incentives directed to individual physicians are not likely to influence these factors.We found that the largest improvement in screening associated with the pay-for-performance program was for colorectal cancer. This may relate to the lower baseline screening rate, the larger financial incentives, or a province-wide media campaign to promote colorectal cancer screening that launched in April 2008.…”

Association between war and cervical cancer among Vietnamese women

“…The incidence rate of invasive cervical cancer among Vietnamese women now residing in the United States, many of whose husbands had experienced combat military service in South Vietnam, is 43 in 100,000, 16 although 50% of these women report having received at least one Pap test after their arrival in the United States. 17 The age-standardized incidence rate of cervical cancer among women in the United States (all ethnic groups combined) is 7.5 in 100,000. 18 Our findings also suggest that military forces may contribute to the problem of cervical cancer in other regions of the world.…”