Cervical Cancer study looking for Chinese recruits

Cervical Cancer study looking for Chinese recruits

AUTUniversityacademics and the Chinese New Settlers Service Trust are to investigate Chinese migrants and their beliefs surrounding cervical screening.

Dr Wanzhen Gao, Ruth DeSouza, and Lucy Tongjing Lu will survey over 200 Mainland Chinese women living in Auckland. They will be assisted in the year-long study by AUT’s Dr Janis Paterson.

Dr Gao says invasive cancer is a growing health problem among Chinese women, although little is known about their reluctance to mitigate the disease.

“We know lots of people from the Asian community are afraid of going for a cervical screen but we don’t know much about the reasons for not taking a smear test,” she says.

The researchers will investigate cervical screening practices, barriers and facilitators to cervical screening and knowledge surrounding screening and risk factors.

“Our findings will help policy makers, planners and providers improve services as well as guide future research,” says Ms DeSouza.

If you are from Mainland Chinaand interested in taking part in the study, please contact Lucy Tongjing Lu at Lucy.Lu@cnsst.org.nz or Tel: 09 4448846, 021-760596.

ENDS

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