A randomized telephone survey of Vietnamese Americans in Maricopa County, Arizona

Background/significance: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are one of the fastest growing racial/ethnic groups in the United States, and are expected to represent 10% of all Americans in 2050. However, relatively little is known about their health status and health behaviors, particularly by ethnic subgroup, since health data are often collected using the broad “Asian or Pacific Islander” category. Objective/purpose: To better understand the health status, behaviors and needs of the local Vietnamese American community in the greater Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, a randomized telephone survey was conducted of this group. Methods: Survey questions were drawn largely from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance questionnaire to allow for comparison with other groups and jurisdictions. A total of 61 questions were included, covering general health, oral health, access to medical care, exercise, tobacco use, alcohol use, and preventive screening history. Results: A total of 296 interviews were completed. More than 95% of interviews were conducted in the Vietnamese language. Almost 50% of respondents described their general health as "fair" or "poor", as compared to 16% of Arizona residents. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of males smoke cigarettes. Only 51% of respondents have been screened for hepatitis B, and 55% have been previously screened for tuberculosis. Discussion: These population-based results point towards areas for potential intervention and establish baselines to measure future work. Community-based agencies can utilize existing methodologies such as the CDC BRFSS to gather critical information about their communities of interest.