Introduction
Breast and Cervical Cancer among AAPI Women
REACH 2010 Path for Women Study
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs toward Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening
Methods
Results
Demographic Characteristics
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Breast and Cervical Cancer
Cambodian (n = 355) | Laotian (n = 361) | Thai (n = 742) | Tongan (n = 350) | Effect | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
χ
2
|
p
| |||||
Most women with breast cancer can live a normal lifetime if it is discovered and treated early | ||||||
Agree | 345 (97.2) | 331 (86.1) | 729 (98.2) | 323 (92.3) | 76.30 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 10 (2.8) | 50 (13.9) | 13 (1.8) | 27 (7.7) | ||
A woman is more likely to get breast cancer if her mother or sister has had it | ||||||
Agree | 269 (75.8) | 263 (72.9) | 585 (78.8) | 293 (83.7) | 13.56 | 0.004 |
Disagree | 86 (24.2) | 98 (27.1) | 157 (21.2) | 57 (16.3) | ||
A woman is more likely to get breast cancer if she eats a diet high in fat | ||||||
Agree | 157 (44.2) | 204 (56.5) | 503 (67.8) | 176 (50.3) | 65.35 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 198 (55.8) | 157 (43.5) | 239 (32.2) | 174 (49.7) | ||
A mammogram can find breast cancer in its early stages | ||||||
Agree | 348 (98.0) | 333 (92.2) | 714 (96.2) | 344 (98.3) | 22.77 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 7 (2.0) | 28 (7.8) | 28 (3.8) | 6 (1.7) | ||
People get breast cancer because they have lived a bad life | ||||||
Agree | 110 (31.0) | 143 (39.6) | 201 (27.1) | 66 (18.9) | 39.37 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 245 (69.0) | 218 (60.4) | 541 (72.9) | 284 (81.1) | ||
A mammogram is only needed if I feel I have symptoms | ||||||
Agree | 297 (83.7) | 112 (31.0) | 529 (71.3) | 77 (22.0) | 436.56 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 58 (16.3) | 249 (69.0) | 213 (28.7) | 273 (78.0) | ||
If breast cancer is found early, it can be cured | ||||||
Agree | 340 (95.8) | 325 (90.0) | 738 (99.5) | 320 (91.4) | 62.96 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 15 (4.2) | 36 (10.0) | 4 (0.5) | 30 (8.6) | ||
I think I would rather not know if I had breast cancer | ||||||
Agree | 104 (29.3) | 87 (24.1) | 302 (40.7) | 69 (19.7) | 61.91 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 251 (70.7) | 274 (75.9) | 440 (59.3) | 281 (80.3) | ||
I would undergo breast cancer treatment that is unpleasant or painful if it would improve my chances of living longer | ||||||
Agree | 332 (93.5) | 329 (91.1) | 726 (97.8) | 337 (96.3) | 28.26 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 23 (6.5) | 32 (8.9) | 16 (2.2) | 13 (3.7) | ||
I would be afraid to tell my husband or partner if I had breast cancer because it would damage our relationship | ||||||
Agree | 74 (20.8) | 52 (14.4) | 117 (15.8) | 25 (7.1) | 27.12 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 281 (79.2) | 309 (85.6) | 625 (84.2) | 325 (92.9) | ||
Breast cancer can be cured by traditional healers | ||||||
Agree | 131 (36.9) | 113 (31.3) | 189 (25.5) | 69 (19.7) | 30.28 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 224 (63.1) | 248 (68.7) | 553 (74.5) | 281 (80.3) | ||
I need a mammogram only when I have a breast lump | ||||||
Agree | 269 (75.8) | 115 (31.9) | 577 (77.8) | 69 (19.7) | 473.12 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 86 (24.2) | 246 (68.1) | 165 (22.2) | 281 (80.3) | ||
There is not much that I can do to prevent breast cancer | ||||||
Agree | 173 (48.7) | 136 (37.7) | 522 (70.4) | 124 (35.4) | 169.60 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 182 (51.3) | 225 (62.3) | 220 (29.6) | 226 (64.6) | ||
I am very likely to get breast cancer in my lifetime | ||||||
Agree | 88 (24.8) | 210 (58.2) | 616 (83.0) | 128 (36.6) | 416.30 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 267 (75.2) | 151 (41.8) | 126 (17.0) | 222 (63.4) | ||
Trauma to the breast(s) causes cancer | ||||||
Agree | 226 (63.7) | 202 (56.0) | 461 (62.1) | 306 (87.4) | 93.79 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 129 (36.3) | 159 (44.0) | 281 (37.9) | 44 (12.6) | ||
Breast cancer is caused by bad winds | ||||||
Agree | 16 (4.5) | 78 (21.6) | 45 (6.1) | 20 (5.7) | 93.05 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 339 (95.5) | 283 (78.4) | 697 (93.9) | 330 (94.3) | ||
Breast cancer is caused by (bad) spirits | ||||||
Agree | 23 (6.5) | 50 (13.9) | 28 (3.8) | 39 (11.1) | 41.67 | <0.001 |
Disagree | 332 (93.5) | 311 (86.1) | 714 (96.2) | 311 (88.9) |
A woman is more likely to get cervical cancer if: | Cambodian (n = 355) | Laotian (n = 361) | Thai (n = 742) | Tongan (n = 350) | Effect | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
χ
2
|
p
| |||||
She began having sex at an early age | ||||||
Yes | 216 (60.8) | 214 (59.3) | 473 (63.7) | 203 (58.0) | 4.11 | 0.249 |
No | 139 (39.2) | 147 (40.7) | 269 (36.3) | 147 (42.0) | ||
She has had many sexual partners | ||||||
Yes | 294 (82.8) | 282 (78.1) | 586 (79.0) | 275 (78.6) | 3.13 | 0.372 |
No | 61 (17.2) | 79 (21.9) | 156 (21.0) | 75 (21.4) | ||
Her husband has had many sexual partners | ||||||
Yes | 267 (75.2) | 272 (75.3) | 548 (73.9) | 260 (74.3) | 0.402 | 0.940 |
No | 88 (24.8) | 89 (24.7) | 194 (26.1) | 90 (25.7) | ||
She is exposed to cigarette smoke | ||||||
Yes | 146 (41.1) | 176 (48.8) | 302 (40.7) | 134 (38.3) | 9.37 | 0.025 |
No | 209 (58.9) | 185 (51.2) | 440 (59.3) | 216 (61.7) | ||
She has poor personal hygiene | ||||||
Yes | 299 (84.2) | 280 (77.6) | 649 (87.5) | 259 (74.0) | 36.5 | <0.001 |
No | 56 (15.8) | 81 (22.4) | 93 (12.5) | 91 (26.0) | ||
She uses an intrauterine device (IUD) | ||||||
Yes | 261 (73.5) | 248 (68.7) | 489 (65.9) | 213 (60.9) | 13.67 | 0.003 |
No | 94 (26.5) | 113 (31.3) | 253 (34.1) | 137 (39.1) | ||
She uses birth control pills | ||||||
Yes | 225 (63.4) | 223 (61.8) | 348 (46.9) | 198 (56.6) | 36.78 | <0.001 |
No | 130 (36.6) | 138 (38.2) | 394 (53.1) | 152 (43.4) |
Cambodian (n = 355) | Laotian (n = 361) | Thai (n = 742) | Tongan (n = 350) | Effect | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
χ
2
|
p
| |||||
If cancer of the cervix is found early, it can be cured | ||||||
Yes | 349 (98.3) | 348 (96.4) | 733 (98.8) | 349 (99.7) | 13.71 | 0.003 |
No | 6 (1.7) | 13 (3.6) | 9 (1.2) | 1 (0.3) | ||
I have family or friends who encourage me to get Pap smears | ||||||
Yes | 293 (82.5) | 225 (62.3) | 611 (82.3) | 289 (82.6) | 69.14 | <0.001 |
No | 62 (17.5) | 136 (37.7) | 131 (17.7) | 61 (17.4) | ||
A woman does not need to get Pap smears after she reaches menopause | ||||||
Yes | 107 (30.1) | 56 (15.5) | 47 (6.3) | 23 (6.6) | 137.17 | <0.001 |
No | 248 (69.9) | 305 (84.5) | 695 (93.7) | 327 (93.4) | ||
A woman does not need to get Pap smears after she stops having children | ||||||
Yes | 37 (10.4) | 45 (12.5) | 38 (5.1) | 26 (7.4) | 20.93 | <0.001 |
No | 318 (89.6) | 316 (87.5) | 704 (94.9) | 324 (92.6) | ||
Only women who are sexually active should get Pap smears | ||||||
Yes | 122 (34.4) | 86 (23.8) | 69 (9.3) | 117 (33.4) | 129.56 | <0.001 |
No | 233 (65.6) | 275 (76.2) | 673 (90.7) | 233 (66.6) | ||
I’m too busy to get Pap smears | ||||||
Yes | 48 (13.5) | 38 (10.5) | 215 (29.0) | 37 (10.6) | 88.89 | <0.001 |
No | 307 (86.5) | 323 (89.5) | 527 (71.0) | 313 (89.4) |