Western Journal of Medicine
Volume 153, Issue 1, 1990, Pages 34-39

Cancer risks and prevention practices among Vietnamese refugees (Article)

Jenkins C.N.H.* , McPhee S.J. , Bird J.A. , Bonilla N.-T.H.
  • a Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A405, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, United States
  • b Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A405, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, United States
  • c Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A405, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, United States
  • d Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, 400 Parnassus Avenue, A405, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, United States

Abstract

Although Vietnamese refugees are the fastest-growing Asian minority in the United States, little is known about their health knowledge and practices, especially regarding cancer prevention. To address this problem, we interviewed a randomly selected sample of 215 Vietnamese adults living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Results indicated that 13% had never heard of cancer, 27% did not know that cigarette smoking can cause cancer, and 28% believed that cancer is contagious. Although hepatitis B-related liver cancer is endemic among Vietnamese, 48% had never heard of hepatitis B. Among men (n = 116), 56% were smokers (versus 32% in the general US population). Male cigarette smoking was significantly associated with incomes below the poverty level (P < .01), residence in the US for 9 years or less (P < .05), not knowing that smoking causes cancer (P < .05), and limited English proficiency (P < .01). Binge drinking was reported by 35% of men. Young Vietnamese of both sexes reported consuming diets higher in fat and lower in fiber than when they lived in Vietnam. Among eligible women, 32% had never had a Papanicolaou test (versus 9% of US women), 28% had never had a breast examination (versus 16%), and 83% had never had a mammogram (versus 62%). Education about cancer and its risk factors, smoking cessation, and cancer screening are high priorities for this population.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

education Vietnam refugee psychological aspect Neoplasms human Health Behavior Refugees priority journal cancer risk Aged cancer San Francisco male female Viet Nam cognition Risk Factors Article Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Support, Non-U.S. Gov't adult Middle Age
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0025297579&partnerID=40&md5=8ee33821e07decf6a1b5b0e5aa099f36
ISSN: 00930415
Cited by: 90
Original Language: English