Translated Educational Infographics Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in Non-Native English Speakers

Language barriers hinder colorectal cancer screening in underserved populations of non-native English speakers, particularly in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; however, patient educational materials are not readily available in languages other than English and Spanish.

In this pilot study, American College of Gastroenterology infographics were translated into Chinese (traditional/simplified), Hmong, and Vietnamese and distributed along with a translated pre-post survey to average-risk patients aged 45-75 years at a safety-net clinic. Primary outcomes were colorectal cancer screening rates and secondary outcomes were patients' perceptions of colorectal cancer screening.

Colorectal cancer screening rates increased from 19.5% to 54.3% (p<0.01), whereas >80.0% patients noted increased understanding of colorectal cancer and plans to pursue screening.

These findings demonstrate that providing translated and language-concordant infographics significantly increased colorectal cancer screening rates and patient understanding among non-native English speakers. Creating and integrating the use of culturally and linguistically tailored educational materials in resource-limited clinics can help eliminate disparities and narrow the colorectal cancer screening gap in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.