Abstract A064: Patient-provider trust and immigration experiences and h. pylori knowledge among Asian Americans

Abstract

Abstract Background: Asian Americans experience a disproportionately higher prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, there persists limited awareness about H. pylori infection and the associated factors among this population. Methods: To assess the level of H. pylori-related knowledge and its association with immigration and provider-related factors, we conducted a cross-sectional pilot study involving 131 Asian American individuals aged 30-75 in the greater Philadelphia and NYC areas. Participants administered a questionnaire covering topics including migration experiences, provider characteristics, medical encounters, and other relevant covariates. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the relationship between these factors and H. pylori knowledge scores. Results: Among all participants, 78% (102/131) were not racially concordant with their PCP, and 39% (51/131) had limited English proficiency. Vietnamese participants had the highest mean H. pylori knowledge score (10.8, SD: 1.4), followed by Chinese (7.2, SD: 4.7) and Korean (5.7, SD: 4.4). In the crude model, racial concordance with PCPs showed a positive relationship (IRR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.14–1.56) with knowledge scores, while length of immigration demonstrated a weak negative relationship (IRR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99). In the adjusted model, personal health experiences (aIRR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.10–1.54) and patient-provider communication (aIRR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.43–2.06) as key determinants of H. pylori knowledge. Conclusion: H. pylori knowledge in Asian Americans is influenced by immigration experiences and the trust between patients and providers, which affects information exchange, medical comprehension, and treatment adherence. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving H. pylori knowledge within the Asian American community should prioritize fostering trust between patients and their healthcare providers. This trust serves as a crucial foundation for facilitating informed decision-making and implementing preventive measures against gastric cancer. Citation Format: Zhiqing E. Liu, Jerry Kai-Chun Fu, Wenyue Lu, Phuong Do, Kathy Zhou, Ellen Kim, Yin Tan, Lin Zhu, Grace X. Ma. Patient-provider trust and immigration experiences and h. pylori knowledge among Asian Americans [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A064.