Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

English Proficiency, Knowledge, and Receipt of HPV Vaccine in Vietnamese-American Women

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Community Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cervical cancer is one of the most important disease burdens experienced by Vietnamese-American women. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiological agent in almost all cases of cervical cancer. We surveyed Vietnamese-American women to determine receipt of HPV vaccine and assessed if limited English proficiency and knowledge related to HPV vaccine were associated with HPV vaccine uptake. Of the 113 Vietnamese-American women who participated in the study, 58 % (n = 68) was born in Vietnam. The mean years of residency in the United States was 12.75 years. Only 16 (14 %) reported receiving HPV vaccine and 11 (9 %) reported receiving all three shots. Thirteen women responded that they are not at all likely to receive HPV vaccine. Of the whole sample, 47 % (n = 53) reported proficiency in spoken and written English. English proficiency was significantly associated with receipt of HPV vaccine (OR = 4.4; confidence interval (95 % CI) = 1.2; 16.50; p = 0.03). Of the knowledge items, 70 % (n = 79) responded correctly that HPV increases the risk for cervical cancer. However, as many as 60 % responded incorrectly, that HPV infection can be cured with medication. The item, “People infected with HPV can be cured with medication,” was the most important variable associated with receipt of HPV vaccine. Specifically, those with correct response were 3.8 times more likely to report receiving the HPV vaccine (OR = 3.8; 95 % CI = 1.1; 13.5; p = 0.04). Important public health needs are the development and evaluation of educational programs on HPV and cervical cancer that are designed for Vietnamese-American women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. United States Census Bureau. (2008). American community survey 1-year estimates. http://factfinder.census.gov/. Retrieved July 28, 2010.

  2. Yi, J. K., Gor, B., & Hoang, T. (2004). What we know and don’t know about Asian American health in Texas. Texas Medicine, 100, 64–70.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. The National Archives Title VI, Prohibition against national origin discrimination affecting limited English proficient persons. Available from http://www.archives.gov/eeo/laws/title-vi.html#intro. Accessed May 2012.

  4. Farmer, G. C., Papachristou, T., Gotz, C., Yu, F., & Tong, D. (2010). Does primary language influence the receipt of influenza and pneumococcal immunizations among community-dwelling older adults? Journal of Aging Health, 22, 1158–1183.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ma, G. X., Shive, S. E., Fang, C. Y., et al. (2007). Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of hepatitis B screening and vaccination and liver cancer risks among Vietnamese Americans. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 18, 62–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Nguyen, G. T., Leader, A. E., & Hung, W. L. (2009). Awareness of anticancer vaccines among Asian American women with limited English proficiency: An opportunity for improved public health communication. Journal of Cancer Education, 24, 280–283.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Nguyen, G. T., Chen, B., & Chan, M. (2012). Pap testing, awareness, and acceptability of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among Chinese American women. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 14, 803–808.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Taylor, V. M., Talbot, J., Do, H. H., et al. (2011). Hepatitis B knowledge and practices among Cambodian Americans. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 12, 957–961.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Uwemedimo, O. T., Findley, S. E., Andres, R., Irigoyen, M., & Stockwell, M. S. (2012). Determinants of influenza vaccination among young children in an inner-city community. Journal of Community Health, 37, 663–672.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Yi, J. K., Swartz, M. D., & Reyes-Gibby, C. C. (2011). English proficiency, symptoms, and quality of life in Vietnamese- and Chinese-American breast cancer survivors. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 42, 83–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Miller, B. A., Chu, K. C., Hankey, B. F., & Ries, L. A. (2008). Cancer incidence and mortality patterns among specific Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the US. Cancer Causes and Control, 19, 227–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010-understanding and improving health. US Government Printing Office; Washington DC: 2000, pp. 3–23. 2012.

  13. Wallin, K. L., Wiklund, F., Angstrom, T., et al. (1999). Type-specific persistence of human papillomavirus DNA before the development of invasive cervical cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 341, 1633–1638.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. van Muyden, R. C., ter Harmsel, B. W., Smedts, F. M., et al. (1999). Detection and typing of human papillomavirus in cervical carcinomas in Russian women: A prognostic study. Cancer, 85, 2011–2016.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Tabrizi, S. N., Fairley, C. K., Chen, S., et al. (1999). Epidemiological characteristics of women with high grade CIN who do and do not have human papillomavirus. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 106, 252–257.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Weinstock, H., Berman, S., & Cates, W., Jr. (2004). Sexually transmitted diseases among American youth: Incidence and prevalence estimates, 2000. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health [serial online], 36, 6–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Clifford, G. M., Smith, J. S., Plummer, M., Munoz, N., & Franceschi, S. (2003). Human papillomavirus types in invasive cervical cancer worldwide: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Cancer, 88, 63–73.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Munoz, N., Bosch, F. X., Castellsague, X., et al. (2004). Against which human papillomavirus types shall we vaccinate and screen? The international perspective. International Journal of Cancer, 111, 278–285.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Munoz, N., Bosch, F. X., de Sanjose, S., et al. (2003). Epidemiologic classification of human papillomavirus types associated with cervical cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 348, 518–527.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Clifford, G., Franceschi, S., Diaz, M., Munoz, N., & Villa, L. L. (2006). Chapter 3: HPV type-distribution in women with and without cervical neoplastic diseases. Vaccine, 24(Suppl 3), S3-26–S3/34.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). (2007). Quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine. MMWR—Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 56, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  22. http://www.archives.gov/eeo/laws/title-vi.html#intro. 2010.

  23. Massad, L. S., Evans, C. T., Wilson, T. E., et al. (2010). Knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and human papillomavirus among women with HIV. Gynecologic Oncology, 117, 70–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Massad, L. S., Evans, C. T., Weber, K. M., et al. (2010). Changes in knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and human papillomavirus among women with human immunodeficiency virus. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 116, 941–947.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Brabin, L., Roberts, S. A., Farzaneh, F., & Kitchener, H. C. (2006). Future acceptance of adolescent human papillomavirus vaccination: A survey of parental attitudes. Vaccine, 24, 3087–3094.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. http://www.chis.ucla.edu/questionnaires.html. 2012.

  27. Caskey, R., Lindau, S. T., & Alexander, G. C. (2009). Knowledge and early adoption of the HPV vaccine among girls and young women: Results of a national survey. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 453–462.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Taylor, L. D., Hariri, S., Sternberg, M., Dunne, E. F., & Markowitz, L. E. (2011). Human papillomavirus vaccine coverage in the United States, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2008. Preventive Medicine, 52, 398–400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Woloshin, S., Schwartz, L. M., Katz, S. J., & Welch, H. G. (1997). Is language a barrier to the use of preventive services? Journal of General Internal Medicine, 12, 472–477.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Pearson, W. S., Zhao, G., & Ford, E. S. (2011). An analysis of language as a barrier to receiving influenza vaccinations among an elderly Hispanic population in the United States. Advances in Preventive Medicine, 2011, 298787.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Hirano, D. M. (2012). Asian American health research: What community agencies on the front line need to know. Progress in Community Health Partnerships, 6, 59–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Conroy, K., Rosenthal, S. L., Zimet, G. D., et al. (2009). Human papillomavirus vaccine uptake, predictors of vaccination, and self-reported barriers to vaccination. Journal of Women’s Health (Larchmt), 18, 1679–1686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ma, G. X., Fang, C. Y., Feng, Z., et al. (2012). Correlates of cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese American Women. Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2012, 617234.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Marlow, L. A., Wardle, J., Forster, A. S., & Waller, J. (2009). Ethnic differences in human papillomavirus awareness and vaccine acceptability. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63, 1010–1015.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Nguyen, G. T., Chen, B., & Chan, M. (2012). Pap testing, awareness, and acceptability of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among Chinese American women. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 14, 803–808.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Zapka, J. G., Bigelow, C., Hurley, T., et al. (1996). Mammography use among sociodemographically diverse women: the accuracy of self-report. American Journal of Public Health, 86, 1016–1021.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Huhn, G. D., Brown, J., Perea, W., et al. (2006). Vaccination coverage survey versus administrative data in the assessment of mass yellow fever immunization in internally displaced persons—Liberia, 2004. Vaccine, 24, 730–737.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT #PP100016) and by the National Cancer Institute (NCI R25 CA57712).

Conflict of interest

No competing financial interests exist.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Development, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA

    Jenny K. Yi

  2. Department of Symptom Research—Unit 1450, The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler St., Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Karen O. Anderson

  3. School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Yen-Chi Le

  4. Department of Epidemiology—Unit 1340, The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler St., Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Soledad L. Escobar-Chaves

  5. Department of Emergency Medicine—Unit 1468, The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler St., Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Cielito C. Reyes-Gibby

Authors
  1. Jenny K. Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karen O. Anderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yen-Chi Le
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Soledad L. Escobar-Chaves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Cielito C. Reyes-Gibby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cielito C. Reyes-Gibby.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yi, J.K., Anderson, K.O., Le, YC. et al. English Proficiency, Knowledge, and Receipt of HPV Vaccine in Vietnamese-American Women. J Community Health 38, 805–811 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-013-9680-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-013-9680-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation