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The effects of acculturation on breast and cervical cancer screening behaviors among Vietnamese women in western Massachusetts
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to collect information about the prevalence of a clinical breast examination, mammography, and pap smear among Vietnamese women and to identify predictive factors that influence women to engage in early cancer detection behavior. Particularly, the study is to explore what role, if any, acculturation factors play in predicting cancer screening behaviors. In this study, the level of acculturation is measured by language use, cultural identity, and sociocultural preference. In addition, the length of residence in the US is used as another measure of acculturation. The telephone survey method is conducted with 141 Vietnamese women ages 17 years or over living in western Massachusetts. The participation rate was 79.2%. The overall socioeconomic status of the study sample was low. For example, 53.9% of the respondents had less than a high school education and more than 50% of the respondents reported that their annual household income is less than $20,000. According to survey data, the study sample tended to have lower usage of clinical breast examination and pap test compared with general population. For women over 50 years of age, the study sample had a higher usage of mammogram compared to other groups in Massachusetts. Bivariate and multivariate methods, including logistic regression were used to analyze the differences between users and nonusers. The final model for clinical breast examination and pap test included: age, income, length of residence in the US, and marital status. Those women who have had a clinical breast examination and pap test were older, married, had a high income, and lived in the US longer. The final model for mammogram included: age, sociocultural preference, length of residence, and had a regular place for care. Those women who have had a mammogram were older, had a better access to care, and were less acculturated. Interestingly, those who associate more with the Vietnamese community and lived in the United States for a shorter period are more likely to have had a prior experience with a mammogram than those who associate less with Vietnamese community and lived in the United States for a longer time. Although perception of susceptibility to mammogram and perception of barriers to pap test have been significantly related in bivariate analyses, none of the Health Belief Model components were included in the final model. Moreover, the final model is indicative only of cancer screening behavior in this population and should not be used to predict an individual's cancer screening behavior until it has been assessed in additional populations.
Subject Area
Public health|Ethnic studies|Womens studies|Sociology
Recommended Citation
Yi, Jenny Kisuk, "The effects of acculturation on breast and cervical cancer screening behaviors among Vietnamese women in western Massachusetts" (1992). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9305922.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9305922