Use of a Tailored Messaging System to Improve Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Rates Among Vietnamese Immigrant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Date
2024-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Purpose and Background:
Cancer is the leading cause of death for Southeast Asian women living in the U.S. Vietnamese women have disproportionately high incidence rates of breast and cervical cancers with strikingly low screening rates for pap tests and mammography compared to all other racial groups. This study aimed to test the efficacy of providing culturally-sensitive tailored messaging systems (TIMS) to improve age-appropriate breast and cervical cancer screening completion among Vietnamese women.
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework:
The Socioecological Model guided this study and proposes that complex factors at the individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels influence health behaviors.
Methods:
The Southeast Asian Women’s Health Project study is a randomized control trial that enrolled Vietnamese women who had not received breast and cervical cancer screenings. Women who were randomized to navigation received culturally sensitive tailored messaging for 10 weeks. Women in the information or control group were mailed information on mammography and pap testing only. All participants were contacted post-enrollment to assess cancer screening completion.
Results:
This study enrolled 66 Vietnamese women, ages 21-84, average age 43.25 (sd= 18.2 years). Of these, 4 completed mammography and 2 completed pap tests. Of these 4, 3 were in the control group and 1 in the intervention. Of the pap tests, both were in the control group.
Conclusion:
Although tailored messaging has been effective in improving cancer screening rates in other populations and cancer types, screening rates for breast and cervical cancer in this group of Vietnamese women were not improved using the TIMS. Additional analysis of factors that contribute to these results are planned.
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Keywords
Vietnamese, cervical cancer, breast cancer, cancer screening, culturally sensitive, tailored messaging system