| Invasive cervical cancer has long been considered a highly preventable cancer. The incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, however, is disproportionately higher among ethnic minority women. Despite the availability of cervical cancer screening technologies, or Pap testing, for the detection of early, precancerous cervical lesions, Chinese women continue to have the lowest cervical cancer screening rates among women of all the major ethnic groups. Young Chinese college students also have lower rates of screening, yet they are engaging in activities that place them at risk for developing precancerous cervical lesions. Although certain socioeconomic and demographic factors have been associated with a lack of cervical cancer screening among Chinese women, some studies suggest the need to examine the role of cultural factors in this preventive cancer screening behavior. This qualitative descriptive study examined and described the reasons cited by second generation Chinese-American college students for never having had cervical cancer screening. These reasons reflected the cultural models that these young women have, both about how the world around them works and about the Pap smear; the connections that they made among getting a Pap test, parental disapproval, asserting autonomy, and taboo all affected their screening behavior in such a way that they either did not perceive the need for a Pap test, did not have the knowledge to perceive the need, or that they perceived the need but still could not get it. Findings from this study can begin to provide a scientific basis for the development of culturally sensitive strategies to promote cervical cancer screening. The empirical findings also have significant implications for guiding health policy with respect to eliminating health disparities among Chinese-American women. |
