Statistics and Indicators

• The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) began in 2006 and aims to reduce illness and death from bowel cancer through regular screening to support early detection.
• In this program, all men and women between the ages of 50 and 74 are invited to participate and every two years are sent a free faecal occult blood test screening kit to use at home.¹
• Of the 5.7 million people who were invited between January 2018 and December 2019 nationwide, 43.5% participated in the program. In 2019, 1,300 ACT residents who were screened had a positive result (meaning blood was detected in their stool sample) – a screening positivity rate of 6.0%. Nationally, 89,800 Australians who were screened had a positive result (6.8% screening positivity rate).²
• In 2018-19, Tasmania and South Australia had the highest screening participation rates of people aged 50-74 (48.9%), while the Northern Territory had the lowest (30.6%). In the ACT, 45.7% of people aged 50-74 participated in the program.²

References

1. Commonwealth Department of Health. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health; 2021 [cited 2022 Apr 6]. Available from: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). National Bowel Cancer Screening Program: Monitoring Report 2021. Canberra: AIHW; 2021 [cited 2022 Apr 6]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer-screening/nbcsp-monitoring-report-2021/summary