Increasing bowel cancer screening participation: integrating population-wide, primary care and more targeted approaches

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Participation in the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) is suboptimal. Given the program's enormous potential to save lives, Cancer Council Victoria has prioritised increased screening participation as part of its strategic plan. This paper describes the implementation, and evaluation where available, of Cancer Council Victoria programs to increase participation, supported by a mix of own organisation and Victorian state health department funding. Type of programs: At the population level, Cancer Council Victoria has delivered television-led mass media campaigns to motivate age-eligible individuals to complete and return their NBCSP kit. It has also delive..