South Australians who are due for cervical screening are being informed they can now choose to perform the test themselves with self-collection tests now available through their GP or healthcare provider.
Timed this Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, the Malinauskas Government has launched a 'You Can Do It' campaign to encourage women aged 25 to 74 to consider self-collection for their five yearly screening.
Following consultation with the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the campaign will target women aged 25-74 and will consist of advertising on pharmacy and GP screens, metro and rural radio, female public toilets, shopping centres, and press publications.
The campaign, which began on 31 October and runs through until March next year, represents a $198,000 State Government investment.
The COVID response has assisted this campaign in ways that would not have been possible several years ago due to community familiarity with self-testing following the roll out of Rapid Antigen Tests across the pandemic.
Self-collection is all about giving women choice and control. Wellbeing SA has also partnered with Cancer Council SA to fund training for GPs in self-collection to ensure women across the state are supported to choose the best option for them when it comes to cervical screening.
Around 800 Australians are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and about 70 per cent of these cases occur in women who were not up to date with their screening or who had never screened before.
A cervical screening test (previously called a pap smear) is a simple test to detect the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a common infection that can develop into cervical cancer.
Cervical screening, including self-collection, is facilitated by a doctor, nurse or healthcare worker with a rebate provided through Medicare.
If you are eligible and together with your GP decide that collecting your own sample is the best option for you, your healthcare provider will give you a long-handled cotton swab and instructions on how to collect your sample in private.
The campaign aligns with the National Cervical Screening Program Clinical Guidelines which was informed by the Self collection Clinical Implementation Group of experts from around Australia. You still have the option of having a doctor or nurse collect the sample for you, if you prefer.
Clinical champions such as Dr Sally Cockburn and Professor Marion Saville feature in videos on the campaign website, one targeting consumers and one for health professionals.
Cervical Cancer Awareness Week from 7-13 November 2022 aims to raise awareness about cervical cancer and generate discussion about cervical health and prevention through screening.
New changes to the National Cervical Screening program took effect on 1 July, 2022 allowing eligible people to collect their own sample. To find out when you are due for screening, you can call 1800 627 701 or visit the National Cancer Screening Register at www.ncsr.gov.au
For more information and to find a list of self-collection providers in your area, go to www.wellbeingsa.sa.gov.au/cervicalscreening
Quotes
Attributable to Chris Picton
Having a cervical screening test every five years is the best way to protect yourself as screening can help prevent more than 70 per cent of cervical cancer.
Self-collection is a game-changer for many women who, for a variety of reasons, may be putting it off or never had a cervical screening test before.
This new campaign highlights this new option and will ensure less women miss out on regular testing which will ultimately save lives.
Attributable to Wellbeing SA Executive Director of Prevention and Population Health, Professor Katina D'Onise
A self-collection test is easy and painless and is just as safe and accurate at detecting HPV as a clinician-collected sample.
As part of our 'You Can Do It' campaign, we are encouraging anyone who is due for a test to contact your GP or healthcare provider, ask if they are set up for self-collection and make a booking today.
We know it's important to keep up with regular screening as detecting HPV infection early allows your healthcare provider to monitor the infection and intervene with appropriate treatment, if required, which could save your life.
