Supporting Our Women - Pacific Islander Women's Pap Testing Project

Background: Pacific Islanders (PIs) in the U.S. experience high cancer health disparities, including late-stage cervical cancer diagnosis largely due to 10% lower screening rates among PIs compared to Non-Hispanic Whites.

Methods: The goal of this randomized community intervention was to increase Pap testing rates among Chamorro, Samoan, and Tongan women in Southern California. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, PI women (and their husbands) were recruited from 75 PI churches and social groups and assigned to receive a culturally-tailored program or brochure.  The education included: group activity, Pap testing information, video, and corresponding materials. Control participants received a pre-existing Pap testing brochure. Three waves of data were collected: pretest (before education), posttest1 (immediately after education), and posttest2 (6 months follow-up). Data collected included demographics, acculturation, cervical cancer and Pap testing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, decision making utility, and social support. 

Results: A total of 374 PI women completed the three surveys.  Preliminary analyses indicate intervention women who did not have a Pap at pretest reported higher rates of Pap testing at posttest2 than the control (50.7% vs. 36.4%, p < .06).  No significant changes were found in social support, or for knowledge retention for women in either group.  Multivariate analyses controlling for social desirability and demographic covariates will be presented.

Conclusion: The culturally-tailored intervention significantly increased Pap testing among under-screened PI women.  Results demonstrate the importance of ethnic tailoring and targeting family members to support women’s health in this underserved population.  Implications for dissemination, CBPR, and future community trials will be discussed.