Cervical cancer among Vietnamese American women has been identified as an important health disparity. Vietnamese American women experience proportionally more cancers of infectious origin, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), leading to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine has only recently been introduced to the United States and yet there is much more to be learned about Vietnamese women’s attitudes and reactions to the possibility of being vaccinated against HPV.

Given that the HPV vaccines are available, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of health communication aimed at promoting the vaccine’s acceptance among Vietnamese American women. This population tends to have much lo...

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Cervical cancer among Vietnamese American women has been identified as an important health disparity. Vietnamese American women experience proportionally more cancers of infectious origin, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), leading to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine has only recently been introduced to the United States and yet there is much more to be learned about Vietnamese women’s attitudes and reactions to the possibility of being vaccinated against HPV.

Given that the HPV vaccines are available, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of health communication aimed at promoting the vaccine’s acceptance among Vietnamese American women. This population tends to have much lower rates of cervical cancer screening than other groups. Without an effective cancer prevention program, the risk of under-diagnosis and late-stage diagnoses of cervical cancer is expected to lead to a substantial increase in morbidity, mortality, and health care costs for both individuals and the community.

This study is to develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of a culturally tailored cervical cancer educational program for Vietnamese American women with limited health literacy and English proficiency. The proposed project is designed to provide insight and understanding on how to increase cervical cancer preventive health behaviors in this high risk Vietnamese population. The project addresses the unique needs and concerns of these hard to reach and vulnerable women who otherwise cannot be accessed through conventional means. The study of Vietnamese American women who are not proficient in English would contribute greatly to the limited body of knowledge and have important implications for the future development of cancer interventions targeted for this population.

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