The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published the results of the mass cervical screening program involving 3.6 million women throughout the country.

 

The Cervical screening in Australia 2009-2010 report provides information on the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP), which aims to reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer.

 

The report shows that the detection of high-grade abnormalities remains high, detecting 9 such abnormalities per 1,000 women screened.

 

“This kind of early detection allows treatment before possible progression to cancer,” AIHW spokesperson Chris Sturrock said.

 

The latest figures available on cervical cancer incidence and deaths show that there were 637 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in Australia in 2008, and 131 women died from cervical cancer in 2007.

 

“The good news is that incidence and mortality rates have both halved since the NCSP was introduced in 1991, and both are at an historic low,” Ms Sturrock said.

 

“One area of concern is the incidence of cervical cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women which is twice that of non-Indigenous women, with the mortality rate 5 times as high.”

 

The survey screened 57 per cent of Australian women in the 20-69 target age group, posting a decline from the previous 2-year reporting period 2007-2008, which recorded a participation rate of 59 per cent.