Cancer/health communication and breast/cervical cancer screening among Asian Americans and five Asian ethnic groups

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This paper is an examination of cancer/health communication factors (i.e. cancer/health information seeking, patient-provider communication (PPC), cancer screening information from providers) and screening for breast and cervical cancer among Asian Americans and five Asian ethnic groups (Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese) in comparison to Whites. Additionally, the relationship between cancer/health communication disparity and cancer screening gaps between Asian Americans and Whites was investigated.

Design: Data comes from a nationally representative sample of 2011–2014 Health Information National Trends Surveys (HINTS).

Results: Asian Americans and most Asian ethnic-groups reported significantly lower rates of cancer/health information seeking and lower evaluations for PPC as compared to Whites, though differences within Asian ethnic groups were observed (Koreans’ greater cancer/health information seeking, Japanese’ higher PPC evaluation). When the cancer/health communication factors were controlled, Asian Americans’ odds of cancer screening were increased. Especially, Asian Americans’ odds of adhering to the breast cancer screening guideline became nearly 1.4 times greater than Whites.

Conclusion: This research demonstrates that health organizations, providers, and Asian American patients’ collaborative efforts to increase the access to quality cancer information, to make culturally competent but straightforward screening recommendations, and to practice effective communication in medical encounters will contribute to diminishing cancer disparities among Asian Americans.