Perceptions of lung cancer screening and smoking behavior change among Chinese immigrants: A systematic review.

Fang Lei,Ying Zheng

doi:10.18332/tid/133579

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Chinese immigrants in the US. Smoking cessation and lung cancer screening are effective ways to decrease lung cancer mortality. This study aims to investigate Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of lung cancer screening and to explore the factors/barriers associated with their smoking behavior/cessation.METHODSA systematic review design with narrative methods was used. Electronic literature databases, including PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar were searched.RESULTSA total of 11 articles met the search criteria. Methodological rigor of the studies was evaluated by Bowling’s checklist and Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist. Data search revealed that a limited amount of research has been done on Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of lung cancer screening. Factors influencing their smoking behavior included personal characteristics, psychological status, acculturation, and cues from external environment. Barriers to their smoking cessation behavior included language barriers, individual’s unwillingness to use smoking cessation assistance methods, healthcare environment’s insufficiency to counter pro-smoking norms, lack of social support, and wrong personal beliefs.CONCLUSIONSFindings from this study could help healthcare providers to design culturally tailored lung cancer screening programs and smoking cessation projects to decrease morbidity and mortality rates of lung cancer among Chinese immigrants.

Highlights

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Chinese immigrants in the US
The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of lung cancer screening as well as to explore the factors/ barriers associated with their smoking behavior/ cessation
Studies selection Initially, 382 references were retrieved from the databases, after adjustment of repeated articles and inspection of abstract and text, a total of 11 articles were selected to be included in the study (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Chinese immigrants in the US. Smoking cessation and lung cancer screening are effective ways to decrease lung cancer mortality. This study aims to investigate Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of lung cancer screening and to explore the factors/ barriers associated with their smoking behavior/cessation. Data search revealed that a limited amount of research has been done on Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of lung cancer screening. Factors influencing their smoking behavior included personal characteristics, psychological status, acculturation, and cues from external environment. Chinese Americans are the largest Asian group in the US. It is one of the most rapidly growing ethnic groups in the US1. Since 1980, the population of Chinese immigrants in the US has grown nearly sevenfold, reaching almost 2.5 million in 2018, or 5.5% of the overall foreign-born population[5]. Some cancer research involving Chinese immigrants has been done, most aggregated Chinese Americans, other Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders into one single group (AANPI), or integrated Chinese immigrants and native-born Chinese Americans into one group, potentially masking important subgroup and regional differences among specific Asian subgroups[1,6]

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