We’d like to thank Victorians in Shepparton who have booked in to do a cervical screening test following Cancer Council Victoria’s regional cervical cancer awareness campaign, run late last year.
A recent Cancer Council survey of 800 regional Victorians showed that more than two-thirds of eligible Victorians who saw the campaign said they were now motivated to do a cervical screening test when they were next due, while almost one-third who were due said they had booked in to do a test.
A cervical screening test looks for the human papillomavirus, which causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. Women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 74 need to do a cervical screening test every five years, even if they don’t have any symptoms.
However, data shows that women and people with a cervix who live in regional areas of Australia participate in the National Cervical Screening Program at a lower rate than those who live in major cities.
In Shepparton, 63.6 per cent of eligible women and people with a cervix are participating in the National Cervical Screening Program, compared to 69 per cent of all eligible Victorians.
At a state level, data from the Victorian Cancer Registry reported that between 2020 and 2022, Victorian women and people with a cervix living in regional areas were 22 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer compared to those living in metro areas.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and can be successfully treated if found early through regular cervical screening. We’re thrilled to see such a positive response to the campaign with more regional Victorians motivated to screen, but there is still more work to be done. While we have seen significant increases in knowledge and intent to screen, there are still key knowledge gaps, with only 16.3 per cent of respondents who saw the campaign correctly identifying that you should start screening at 25 years old. Of all respondents to the survey, almost 40 per cent had not previously heard of the option to self-collect your test with a small swab.
We are continuing our work to increase knowledge of cervical screening and ensure everyone eligible is aware of the option to self-collect through our new In Your Hands cervical screening campaign, which will be running statewide until late May.
A cervical screening test every five years could save your life.
If you’re due for your test, book in today at your local doctor’s clinic, Community Health Centre or Aboriginal Health Service. Preventing cervical cancer is in your hands.
To learn more about cervical screening and the In Your Hands campaign, visit cancervic.org.au/cervical
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