U01 CRC Project for Vietnamese Americans

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third highest cause of mortality in Vietnamese and Asian Americans. CRC incidence is rising rapidly in Vietnamese Americans, but they have among the lowest rates of CRC screening (14%) and are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage disease, which is highly preventable. Over 85% of Vietnamese Americans in our region (PA, NJ and NYC) are foreign-born with limited English proficiency, have low SES, and live in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Many lack knowledge about CRC risks and screening benefits and have limited access to culturally appropriate preventive care. Center for Asian Health, Temple University will be working with Vietnamese CBOs to address their critical health disparities. The investigators will test the hypothesis that the proposed multilevel CRC intervention will yield higher CRC screening rates compared to the control at 12-month follow-up. This project represents the first large-scale community-based randomized controlled trial of a multilevel, culturally-appropriate intervention to increase CRC screening among underserved Vietnamese. If effective, this innovative CRC intervention can be used as a model program that has potential impact, generalizability and sustainability in Asian American and other underserved ethnic communities.