Cervical cancer among Vietnamese women: efforts to define the problem among Houston's population.

INTRODUCTION: Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States (US) continue to bear a disproportionate burden of cancer. This report focuses on the interviews with local health-care delivery providers, directors, administrators, and community outreach liaisons in the Vietnamese community in Houston, Texas.
METHODS: The Center for Minority Health (CMRH) at the University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center interviewed 17 leaders, as defined above, to identify factors that have a negative impact on screening practices among Vietnamese women.
RESULTS: The results show that some of the barriers to cervical cancer screening include: lack of knowledge, lack of female physicians, language barriers, lack of insurance, and embarrassment. Interviews established that "prevention" is a Western concept that the Vietnamese community has not yet adopted. Vietnamese women used their churches, community physicians (licensed or not), circle of friends, and families for their health information. Many patients used herbs as alternative or complementary therapies.
CONCLUSION: Cultural factors play a vital role in limiting Vietnamese women in the use of cervical screening. Further research needs to focus on identifying specific barriers and how they can be overcome.