A preference-informed model to improve access and equity in bowel screening for Australia’s First Nations people through home care services

The project is funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training  program and supported by the University of Queensland, University of Sydney, Menzies School of Health Research, University of Wollongong, University of Adelaide, University of New South Wales and Flinders University.

Four-year project currently underway (2022-2025)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher overall cancer incidence, mortality rates and poorer survival compared to other Australians, and these disparities are increasing. Bowel cancer is the third-most common cancer affecting Aboriginal people and survival rates are lower compared with non-Indigenous Australians. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) is currently underutilised by Aboriginal people with 27% participation compared to 44% for other Australians. We will use a hybrid effectiveness-implementation evaluation approach to address the inequity of the NBCSP program for Indigenous Australians. In partnership with our industry provider and their Aboriginal clients we will co-design and implement a preference-based screening model to increase participation in the NBCSP.

A hybrid effectiveness-implementation evaluation approach

We will significantly add to the evidence about how to increase screening among under-screened populations by understanding the variation in screening preferences within groups. This project aligns with several priority areas identified to address the inequitable cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.