Breast and cervical cancer screening rates of subgroups of Asian American women in California

Abstract

Although breast and cervical cancer screening rates for Asian American (AA) women are the lowest of any ethnic group in California, few causes for this are known. The authors used the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, conducted in five Asian languages, to conduct the first evaluation of Pap and mammography screening rates for a representative sample of 2,239 AA women. Wide variations in screening rates were found among the seven different subgroups of AA women studied: adjusted Pap test use ranged from 81% (Filipina Americans) to 61% (Vietnamese Americans). Mammography rates ranged from 78% (Japanese Americans) to 53% (Korean Americans). Disaggregating the AA data and using separate multivariate logistic regressions revealed that different factors were independently associated with the low screening rates for each subgroup. The measurement of additional contextual information is needed to identify structural barriers and community resources to provide clearer guidance for the design of effective screening promotion programs for AA subpopulations.