BreastScreen Australia Program

Aim/ goal

- The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by detecting the early signs of the disease.
Eligible Australians from 50 to 74 years of age are sent a free, simple test that is done at home. Find out how the program works and
how to do the test.
- According to a 2017 study by Cancer Council Australia, screening for bowel cancer can reduce deaths from the disease by between
15% and 25%.
- Since 2020, all eligible Australians between the ages of 50 and 74 are invited to do the screening test every 2 years.
These frameworks and strategies help make sure that our National Bowel Cancer Screening Program:
● follows best practice
● maintains high quality standards
● supports health professionals in encouraging their patients to take part

What do they do/ what is it

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is a government funded initiative that addresses the health inequities of elderly Australians.
Due to increased risk of bowel cancer as age increases, elderly people often face higher rates of cancer due to their increased risk. National
Bowel Cancer Screening aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer through early detection, this can increase the range of early treatment
options and increase survival rate. People aged 50 to over 74 years old are sent a free test that can be conducted at home and sent to
screening facilities and from 2020, eligible Australians are invited to do the screening test every 2 years. Cancer Council Australia’s 2017 study
identifies a potential decrease in disease between 15% to 25% through bowel cancer screening. Within the program there are frameworks and
strategies that ensure National Bowel Cancer Screening follows best practice, maintains high quality standards, and supports health
professionals in encouraging their patients to take part. This initiative identifies elderly people's increased risk of cancer and works to improve
chances of survival through at-home screening tests, this effectively allows early identification of the disease reducing their risk of death and
illness.

General information/ bibliography type stuff

Elderly related information

Stats/ trends on health/ health inequities of elderly (improvements etc)