Limited English proficiency (LEP) and immigrant status may reduce access to and understanding of cancer information, contributing to health communication disparities. This study examined the associations between English proficiency, immigrant status, and cancer information seeking and comprehension among U.S. adults. Specifically, we assessed whether LEP and immigrant status were associated with lower confidence in obtaining cancer information and greater difficulty understanding it. We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 2), a nationally representative survey of 3,504 U.S. adults. Weighted descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses, including chi-square tests, independent-samples t tests, and one-way analyses of variance, were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics. U.S.-born adults and those who reported speaking English very well had greater confidence in obtaining cancer information. In contrast, lower English proficiency was associated with greater difficulty understanding cancer information. These findings underscore the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions to improve equitable access to cancer information.
