FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL BARRIERS AND MOTIVATIONS OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING AMONG ETHNIC MINORITY WOMEN IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a dangerous disease, causing the second - highest number of deaths among all cancers that Vietnamese women have. Although it can be prevented, the participation of Vietnamese women in cervical cancer screening is still low, especially among ethnic minority women in the Northern midlands and mountainous areas. Especially when Vietnam is a country that does not have a national screening program. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of ethnic minority women in Vietnam about cervical cancer and identify the factors that inhibit and motivate their decision to perform screening. This study conducted interviews with a group of 155 ethnic minority women in the northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam. The results show that the awareness of cervical cancer among ethnic minority women in Vietnam is incomplete and inaccurate. The lack of financial capacity and weakness of the health system for ethnic minority communities are the main reasons preventing them from implementing screening. Motivating factors, such as increased awareness and the need to love and care for themselves, as well as interventions from family and community support may convince a woman to go for screening.