The Related Factors of Receiving Pap Tests among Immigrant Women of Vietnamese Origin in Taiwan

Wang, Hsiu-Hung

Background: In recent years, a common social phenomenon has been for foreign women to immigrate to Taiwan for marriage. Women who immigrate for marriage are a disadvantaged minority in the public health system in Taiwan and are typically infrequent users of medical resources and preventive healthcare. Pap test participation rates for newly immigrated women in Taiwan are significantly lower than the rates for non-immigrant Taiwanese women as well as women in America and European countries. Research in Taiwan regarding precautionary measures for cervical cancer for women who immigrated for marriage are still lacking.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors associated with Pap testing among married immigrant women of Vietnamese origin, including demographics, knowledge of cervical cancer, knowledge of Pap tests, fatalism, attitudes toward cervical cancer, and barriers to receiving Pap tests.

Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Data were collected from July 2012 to January 2013. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling in two communities in Southern Taiwan. A total of 451 married immigrant women of Vietnamese origin aged 30 years and over were invited to participate in the study, and 427 participated. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

Results: Participants with no children were 72.2% less likely to have received a Pap test; each additional point of knowledge of Pap tests increased the likelihood of having a Pap test by 19 percent, and each additional point in barriers to receiving Pap tests decreased the chances of having received a Pap test (Odds Ratio=0.714).

Conclusion: The results can provide governments with a reference for developing policies in terms of cervical cancer prevention among married immigrant women of Vietnamese origin.