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Cancer Control Research

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable through appropriate screening and follow-up. Yet cervical cancer continues to be a serious health problem for Vietnamese women, who experience cervical cancer at rates five times that of white women in the United States. Studies have found that cultural norms about modesty, beliefs about preventive behavior and about cancer, and lack of knowledge about the purpose of the Pap smear all impact Vietnamese women's decisions to seek cervical cancer screening. However, few studies have a) used qualitative methods to ensure that the women themselves identify salient barriers to screening b) investigated Vietnamese women's beliefs about the Pap test and its uses within this population. With the initiative of a community-based organization, through a process of collaboration with academic partners, we propose to investigate beliefs about cervical cancer screening in the Vietnamese community. Our long-term goal is to design and implement a culturally tailored intervention that will increase cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese women. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the range of beliefs about the Pap smear held by Vietnamese women. The knowledge gained will be used in the development of future surveys to test the relationship between beliefs and screening behavior, and to develop a randomized controlled trial intervention to improve screening with this at risk population. Specifically, we will 1) explore Vietnamese women's beliefs and attitudes about the Pap smear, 2) explore the impact of Vietnamese women's beliefs about the Pap smear on screening behaviors, 3) explore differences between beliefs about the Pap smear held by Vietnamese women who have had and never had a Pap smear, and 4) collaborate with the local Vietnamese community to develop a pilot intervention based on the results of the study. We will conduct Key Informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with participants recruited through a community-based organization to identify the range of beliefs about the Pap smear and develop a pilot intervention. Our qualitative approach is ideal for exploratory studies as it will provide appropriate context for culturally-based beliefs about the Pap smear and generate hypothesis for future research. The results of the study will lay the groundwork for developing future interventions designed to reduce cervical cancer with the Vietnamese population.