Development of a Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Intervention for Vietnamese American Women

Abstract

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative partnership approach to research that combines the efforts of researchers and stakeholders. CBPR can effectively be used to target local community populations in increasing knowledge and improving behaviors in cancer prevention as participants have a voice and active role in the research process. This article describes how CBPR was used in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot intervention for breast and cervical cancer screening among a Vietnamese female population. The authors outline the use of CBPR in three phases: (a) the identification of preventive health topics important in the local Vietnamese community, (b) the development and administration of a survey to gain a deeper understanding of barriers to breast and cancer screening among Vietnamese women, and (c) the development of a culturally appropriate pilot intervention to promote cancer screening behavior among a local Vietnamese population. In Study 1, it was found that Vietnamese women experienced disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening. In Study 2, it was found that having health insurance and a regular physician were predictive of breast and cervical cancer screening. It was also found that participants had low levels of acculturation and lacked cancer screening knowledge. In Study 3, it was found that the culturally relevant intervention used in this study improved cancer screening–related outcomes in knowledge, self-efficacy, intention, and behavior.