Knowledge of HPV and anti-cancer vaccines in a community-based sample of Vietnamese immigrants

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a significant public health problem for Vietnamese Americans, with Vietnamese American women having among the highest invasive cancer rates in the US. METHODS: We surveyed 96 Vietnamese American adults at several free influenza vaccination events held at community-based sites in Philadelphia in winter 2006-2007. Respondents completed self-administered questionnaires about their knowledge and exposure to information about cancer-related preventive health activities. Respondents had the option to complete the survey in Vietnamese or English. RESULTS: 44% reported that they had heard of a vaccine against cancer. However, among these, only 9% correctly identified that this vaccine protected against cervical cancer when asked in a multiple-choice format question (35% thought that it was for lung cancer, and 30% thought it was for breast cancer). Meanwhile, only 30% had heard of “HPV”, and only about half had even heard of the Vietnamese word for virus (“sieu vi khuan”). CONCLUSION: Knowledge of vaccines to protect against HPV and cervical cancer was low in this community-based sample of Vietnamese immigrants. Additional efforts are needed to educate this at-risk population about methods to prevent and screen for cervical cancer.