Lost in translation: Research challenges and lessons learned from a qualitative study of factors that may influence breast and cervical cancer screening in the Hmong community

Background: Hmong women in the U.S. are screened for breast and cervical cancer (BCC) at remarkably low rates, yet little research has been conducted with this population. Working with the Hmong community presents unique challenges and opportunities. This presentation shares lessons learned during the process of planning and conducting qualitative research on social, cultural, and health care system factors that may influence BCC screening among Hmong women in Oregon. These lessons have the potential to provide guidance to researchers on methodological and practical issues related to conducting research with this population. Methods: We conducted 17 key informant and 84 in-depth interviews with Hmong women and men. Research team discussions, insights from our Hmong research team members, input from our Community Advisory Committee, and project documents were sources of information about the process of conducting research in this community. Results: In this presentation, we describe what we did, what the challenges were, and what lessons can be learned from our experience. The lessons learned pertain to building community partnerships and support; establishing and working with a community advisory committee; hiring and training bi-lingual, bi-cultural staff; using culturally appropriate materials and methods; obtaining informed consent; addressing language and literacy issues; obtaining accurate translations and transcriptions; and protecting privacy and maintaining confidentiality in a small, clan-based community. Conclusion: We used multiple strategies to ensure that this study was culturally appropriate. The lessons learned from our experiences can inform future research with Hmong communities.