What is Women's Health Week?
Women's Health Week is held in the first week of September and aims to raise awareness and empower all women, girls and gender diverse people to speak up and take charge of their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
This Women's Health Week, Cancer Council NSW is continuing our ongoing work with community to improve outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse people through increasing awareness and ensuring equitable access to cancer screening information and services.
How screening amongst Australian women has been impacted by population-level screening programs
Survival rates for breast and cervical cancer among Australian women have significantly improved since the introduction of population-level screening programs in 1991. However, data indicates a disparity in participation rates among individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
We know that screening is a vital step in improving cancer outcomes. Both the NSW Cervical and Breast Screening Programs outline a focus on increasing access for under-screened and never-screened communities.
How we are working with under-screened communities
Last year, Cancer Council NSW successfully held a community-based workshop on breast screening with the local Chinese community in Strathfield Local Government Area. Partnering with CASS, MP for Strathfield Jason Yat-Sen Li and the Asian Australian Women's Association INC (AAWAINC), we recently delivered another workshop focused on women's health and cancer screening, this time in the local Korean community.
The workshop was conducted entirely in language and aimed to raise awareness of breast and cervical national screening programs, within the Korean community living in Strathfield LGA.
Facilitators emphasised the importance of regular breast and cervical screening providing information on how and where to get screened, who is eligible and the benefits of screening. Space was held for insightful discussions on motivators and barriers to access these programs. Notably, attendees left the workshop with a clear understanding that self-collection is now an option for cervical screening and felt empowered discuss this option with their healthcare provider.
Success of screening workshops in community
23% of attendees signed up to receive a call from BreastScreenNSW to book their screening appointment and all participants gained valuable information on how to navigate the health system.
Cancer Council NSW is committed to continuing our efforts with under-screened and never-screened community groups, empowering them to effectively navigate and utilise the Australian health system both now and in the future.
If you need to talk about cancer, call Cancer Council on 13 11 20.
