The contribution of culture to Korean American women's cervical cancer screening behavior: The critical role of prevention orientation

Background: Despite the proven benefits of Pap testing, Korean American women have one of the lowest cervical cancer screening rates in the United States. This study examined how cultural factors are associated with Pap test utilization among Korean American women participants. Methods: Quota sampling was used to recruit 202 Korean American women participants residing in New York City. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to assess the association of cultural variables with Pap test receipt. Results: Overall, participants in our study reported significantly lower Pap test utilization; only 58% reported lifetime receipt of this screening test. Logistic regression analysis revealed one of the cultural variables -prevention orientation - was the strongest correlate of recent Pap test use. Older age and married status were also found to be significant predictors of Pap test use. Conclusion: Findings suggest cultural factors should be considered in interventions promoting cervical cancer screening among Korean American women. Furthermore, younger Korean American women and those not living with a spouse/partner should be targeted in cervical cancer screening efforts.