Abstract A026: Addressing the burden of gastric cancer disparities in low-income New York City Chinese American immigrants
Authors: Kwon Simona , Tan Yi-Ling , Pan Janet , Zhao Qiuqu , Williams Renee , Chokshi Sara , Mann Devin , Singer Karyn , Hailu Benyam , Trinh-Shevrin Chau 
Published: August 2020

Background: Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death worldwide. In the US, gastric cancer incidence for Chinese Americans is nearly twice that for non-Hispanic whites. Cancer is the leading cause of death among Chinese New Yorkers who experience higher mortality for gastric cancer than other New Yorkers overall. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the strongest risk factor for gastric cancer, and eradication of H. pylori through triple antibiotic therapy is the most effective prevention strategy for gastric cancer. Despite the elevated burden, there are no culturally and linguistically tailored evidence-based intervention strategies to address H. pylori medication adherence and gastric cancer prevention for Chinese Americans in NYC, a largely foreign-born (72%), limited English proficient (61%), and low-income (21% living in poverty) population.

Objective: The study objective was to develop and pilot a community health worker (CHW)-delivered linguistically and culturally adapted gastric cancer prevention intervention to improve H. pylori treatment adherence and address modifiable cancer prevention risk factors, including improved nutrition for low-income, LEP, Chinese American immigrants.

Methods: We used a mixed methods and community-engaged research approach to develop and pilot the intervention curriculum and materials. Methods included: 1) a comprehensive scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature on gastric cancer prevention programs and strategies targeting Chinese Americans; 2) 15 key informant interviews with gatekeepers and stakeholders serving the New York Chinese immigrant community to assess the knowledge and perception of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer among Chinese New Yorkers; and 3) pilot implementation of the collaboratively developed intervention with H. pylori-infected LEP Chinese immigrant participants (n=7).

Results: Study process findings and pilot results will be presented. Preliminary results indicate high patient- and community-level need and acceptability for the intervention. Baseline and 1-month post-treatment outcomes and survey data, qualitative data analysis of the CHW session notes, and key informant interviews will be presented.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that a CHW-delivered culturally adapted gastric cancer prevention intervention can result in meaningful health information and treatment adherence for at-risk, low-income Chinese immigrant communities. Study findings are being applied to inform a randomized controlled trial being implemented in safety net hospital settings.

Citation Format: Simona Kwon, Yi-Ling Tan, Janet Pan, Qiuqu Zhao, Renee Williams, Sara Chokshi, Devin Mann, Karyn Singer, Benyam Hailu, Chau Trinh-Shevrin. Addressing the burden of gastric cancer disparities in low-income New York City Chinese American immigrants [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A026.