Breast screening participation rates by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse women

Why this indicator is important

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women* in NSW.[1] 

Analysis undertaken by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that women aged 50–to69 who were diagnosed with a breast cancer through BreastScreen Australia between 2002 and 2012 had a 42% lower risk of dying from breast cancer by 2015 than women with breast cancers who had never been screened.[2] 

Breast cancer is expected to account for 28.2% of all cancer cases in women in NSW in 2025.[3]  Breast cancer was expected to account for 12.7% of all cancers diagnosed in NSW in 2025.[3]  

More than 275 different languages are spoken, and 144 religions are practiced in NSW. Just over a quarter (26.7%) of NSW residents were born overseas with the top 5 countries of birth being England, India, China, New Zealand and the Philippines. NSW's top 5 fastest-growing migrant groups are from Asia.[4]  

People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Australia may experience barriers to accessing breast screening facilities including:[5] 

  • language 

  • lack of familiarity with the Australian Health System 

  • lack of awareness of screening programs  

  • experiencing lack of understanding from health professionals 

  • culturally held attitudes or beliefs about cancer which may influence trust in health professionals and health systems.   

About this indicator

This indicator shows the biennial breast screening participation rate† for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse women aged 50–74 in NSW:‡

  • Between 2023-2024, the biennial breast screening participation rate for CALD women aged 50 to 74 living in NSW was 40.6%. 

NSW Cancer Plan activities 

BreastScreen NSW implements targeted strategies to increase screening participation among CALD women including tailored health promotion initiatives, stigma reduction programs, strategic partnerships and targeted funding. The program runs in-language campaigns to effectively target and reach CALD women. 

*While data presented in this section specifically refers to cisgender women (i.e. women whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex), not everyone with a cervix and/or breasts is a woman, and cervical and breast cancer screening is important for everyone with a cervix and/or breasts including transgender and non-binary people. 
†Participation rate has recently changed due to re-baseline of the population to Census 21. 
‡In response to the impact of COVID–19, BreastScreen NSW (BSNSW) suspended screening on 27 March 2020. Screening resumed in two Screening and Assessment Services (SAS) on 13 May 2020, and in all SAS on 18 May 2020. BreastScreen NSW services were also progressively suspended services from June 2021, with all Services closed from 19 August 2021. Several services recommenced screening on 13 September 2021, and all services were operational by 22 November 2021 

Notes

Data accurate as of August 2025.

References

  1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020. BreastScreen Australia monitoring report 2020. Cancer series no. 129. Cat. no. CAN 135. Canberra: AIHW. p 2

  2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cancer Screening [Internet].  Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024 [cited 12 February 2025]. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/cancer-screening-and-treatment.

  3. Cancer Institute NSW. Cancer type summary dashboard [Internet]. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, 2022 [cited 11th March 2024]. Available from: https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/research-and-data/cancer-data-and-statistics/data-available-now/cancer-statistics-nsw/cancer-incidence-mortality-survival.

  4. NSW Government. Key facts about NSW [Internet]. Sydney: NSW Government [cited 19th February 2025]. Available from: https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/key-facts-about-nsw.

  5. Phillipson L, Larsen-Truong K, Jones S, Pitts L. Improving cancer outcomes among culturally and linguistically diverse communities: a rapid review. An Evidence Check review brokered by the Sax Institute for the Cancer Institute NSW Sax Institute: Haymarket. 2012 Dec.
  6. Cancer Institute NSW. NSW Cancer Plan 2022–2027. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, 2022.
Breast screening participation rates by Aboriginal women Smoking prevalence in Aboriginal adults

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Breast CALD
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