Dr. Hung Khong learned as a child how to overcome adversity. Forced to flee from Vietnam, he lived in refugee camps in Thailand and the Philippines before coming to the United States. Now as the associate director for clinical research at the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute he is undaunted by the challenges presented by cancer research and treatment.

 

When he received grants from The Community Foundation of South Alabama, Dr. Khong began working to raise the awareness of cancer in Vietnamese American women. He partnered with Boat People SOS (BPSOS), a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to Vietnamese refugees and immigrants, to help reach the Asian community in South Mobile County.

 

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death for women in developing countries. The occurrence of cervical cancer in the United States has been dramatically reduced with the mass implementation of yearly PAP test screening. If detected early, the chances of curing cervical cancer are excellent.

 

Dr. Khong felt compelled to head this project due to a fundamental understanding of the obstacles presented to those populations that suffer from low health literacy. A 1992 study by the National Adult Literacy Survey found that over 90 million individuals in the USA are unable to read well enough to understand a prescription bottle. This is due to a wide variety of factors but the result is that these “at risk” populations are the ones most likely to develop chronic illnesses like cancer. Knowing the success of the PAP test in reducing cervical cancer, Dr. Khong wanted to attempt a pilot program to combat low health literacy.

 

Dr. Khong provided information and training relating to cervical and breast cancer to BPSOS staff, who in turn trained members of the community. These community volunteers then went door to door conducting health surveys and sharing cancer information with the Vietnamese American women in Bayou La Batre.

 

The intent of the health survey was to determine the number of Vietnamese women receiving yearly PAP tests, share the importance of early detection and to develop better education and delivery methods for health literacy. This model could then be used to reach out to other at-risk low income populations.

 

Dr. Khong will use the information gathered from this research to enhance future programs promoting community health and disease prevention through education and awareness.

September 2009