Breast screening participation rates by Aboriginal women

Why this indicator is important

In NSW, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Aboriginal women and the second most common cause of death.[1]

• According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare women* with cancers diagnosed by BreastScreen have a 42% lower risk of dying than women with cancer who had never been screened.[2]
• There were 5,839 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in NSW in 2021, accounting for 26.8% of all cancer cases in women.[3] This percentage was expected to rise to 27.7% in 2023.[2] Breast cancer was expected to account for 12.9% of all cancers diagnosed in NSW in 2023.[3]
• Aboriginal women are diagnosed at a younger age than non-Aboriginal women and are more likely to have more advanced cancer at diagnosis than non-Aboriginal women.[1]
• BreastScreen NSW is delivering a pilot project, PUTUWA: The BreastScreen NSW Aboriginal women age project, and is now recommending that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women screen every two years from age 40 (previously from age 50).[1] PUTUWA aims to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in routine breast screening.[1]

Biennial breast screening participation rate for Aboriginal participants aged 50-74, by local health district (ranked) July 2016-June 2028 and July 2021-June 2023

About this indicator

This indicator shows biennial breast screening participation rate for Aboriginal participants aged 50–74, by local health district.

• Between July 2021-July 2023 the biennial breast screening participation rate^† for NSW Aboriginal women aged 50 to 74 was 38.6% (N=26,047)^‡

N = Number of women aged 50 to 74 years in population, July 2021 - Jun 2023

^*While data presented in this section specifically refers to cisgender women (i.e. women whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex), not everyone with a cervix and/or breasts is a woman, and cervical and breast cancer screening is important for everyone with a cervix and/or breasts including transgender and non-binary people.

^†Participation rate has recently changed due to re-baseline of the population to Census 21.

^‡In response to the impact of COVID–19, BreastScreen NSW (BSNSW) suspended screening on 27 March 2020. Screening resumed in two Screening and Assessment Services (SAS) on 13 May 2020, and in all SAS on 18 May 2020. BreastScreen NSW services were also progressively suspended services from June 2021, with all Services closed from 19 August 2021. Several services recommenced screening on 13 September 2021, and all services were operational by 22 November 2021

Notes

1. Data source: BreastScreen NSW (population data are sourced from SAPHARI, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health)

2. The participation rates presented here are based on the number of women who live in NSW and are screened in NSW. Interstate clients have been excluded. Therefore participation rates for border regions may be underestimated. 

References

1. Cancer Institute NSW. Reporting for Better Outcomes. Annual statewide report, 2022. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, 2022

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cancer Screening [Internet].  Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023 [cited 11 March 2024]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/cancer-screening-and-treatment

3. Cancer Institute NSW. Cancer type summary dashboard [Internet]. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, 2022 [cited 11^th March 2024]. Available from: https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/research-and-data/cancer-data-and-statistics/data-available-now/cancer-statistics-nsw/cancer-incidence-mortality-survival