Huiyi Lin, MS¹, L. Joseph Su, PHD, MPH¹, Son V. Nguyen, MS², and Yu-Wen Chiu, DrPH¹. (1) Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1600 Canal Street, Suite 800, New Orleans, LA 70112, 5045991397, hlin4@tulane.edu, (2) Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1452 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112

Cervical cancer is the number one cancer in Vietnamese women, whereas breast cancer is the number one cancer for all. Many deaths from breast and cervical cancers could be avoided by increasing cancer screening with mammography and Pap test among women at risk. American Cancer Society recommends that women who are or have been sexually active or have reached age 18 years should have annual Pap test/pelvic exam and have mammography examination every 1-2 years starting at age 40. However, studies have suggested that these screening tests are underused by women who have less education, are older, live below the poverty level, or are members of certain racial and ethnic minority groups. A survey of 260 Vietnamese Americans, 142 women and 118 men, living in the metropolitan New Orleans aged 24 to 74 years was conducted to examine the risk factors on cancer. Access to cancer screenings, such as mammography, Pap smear and pelvic examine, were interviewed. This study found that only 50.0% of women reported ever had Pap test and 47.7% reported ever had pelvic examination. Among women age 40 and over, only 54.6% of them ever had mammography. Regression models suggest, unlike general US population, education level is not associated with the utilization of cancer screening test. However, the level of acculturation is highly predictive (p = 0.03) of the likelihood of having the Pap test. This study suggests that more effort is needed to communicate to this ethnic community regarding the importance of cancer screening.

Learning Objectives:

• The learning objective of this abstract is to realize the lack of utilzation to cancer screening tests among Vietnamese American women despite the elevated cervical and breast cancer risks in this population and the recommendations by the American Cancer Society and other health care organizations.

Keywords: Asian Women, Access to Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.