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Cancer Plan indicator - Cervical screening participation rates and numbers
Why this indicator is important

Cervical cancer is now one of the most preventable cancers in Australia. This is mostly due to the success of the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP), and the vaccination program for human papillomavirus (HPV).1

In the past, the NCSP used the Pap test, which looked for abnormal cells in the cervix. Women aged 20 to 69 years had the test every two years.2

From December 2017, the Cervical Screening Test replaced the Pap test. This new test looks for HPV in the cells of the cervix. If the sample tests positive for HPV, the laboratory automatically retests the sample to look for any changes to cells of the cervix. It is recommended that women aged 25 to 74 years have the new test every five years, if their previous Cervical Screening Test result was negative.2

Those aged under 25 years should discuss cervical screening with their general practitioner (GP).2

More than 99 per cent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV.3 Because of this, Australia introduced a school-based HPV Vaccination Program in 2007. 

It is important that women participate in cervical screening, even if they have received HPV vaccination, as the vaccination does not provide protection against all types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

About this indicator

This indicator shows participation in cervical screening by women aged 20 to 69 in NSW.

  • 55.9% of women (1,214,475) in NSW aged 20 to 69 years took part in cervical screening between July 2015 and June 2017.
  • Almost 63,000 more women aged 20 to 69 years had cervical screening in NSW in the period July 2015 to June 2017, compared with July 2010 to June 2012.
  • More than 1.7 million women in NSW (82.6%) aged 20 to 69 years took part in cervical screening in the five years July 2012 to June 2017. This is consistent with the previous five-year period.
Biennial cervical screening participation rate for women, by age group, trend, NSW, July 2013–June 2017
Biennial cervical screening participation rate for NSW women in 2016 was 53.6%

N = Number of women aged 20 to 69 years in the population who have not had a hysterectomy, July 2015 to June 2017.
 

Notes:

  1. Data source: NSW Pap Test Register (population data are sourced from SAPHaRI, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health, and adjusted for hysterectomies).
  2. Data source of hysterectomy fractions: NSW Population Health Survey, NSW Ministry of Health, 2012.
  3. NSW includes de-identified tests. However, de-identified tests are excluded from LHD breakdowns as this information is not available.
  4. The NSW Pap Test register transitioned to the National Cervical Screening Register (NCSR) in November 2017. Therefore, we are unable to report participation for the period ending December 2017. The biennial reporting period has been modified to end in June 2017, with all comparison periods also shifted.
Five-year cervical screening participation rate for women aged 20–69, by local health district (LHD) (ranked), NSW, July 2007–June 2012 and July 2012–June 2017
Five-year cervical screening participation rate for NSW women aged 20-69, by LHD (ranked), 2007-2011 and 2012-2016

N = Number of women aged 20 to 69 years in the population who have not had a hysterectomy, July 2015 to June 2017.

Notes:

  1. Data source: NSW Pap Test Register (population data are sourced from SAPHaRI, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health, and adjusted for hysterectomies).
  2. Data source of hysterectomy fractions: NSW Population Health Survey, NSW Ministry of Health, 2012.
  3. NSW includes de-identified tests. However, de-identified tests are excluded from LHD breakdowns as this information is not available.\
  4. Effective from 1 December 2017, the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) recommends women aged 25 to 74 years undertake a cervical screening test every five years.
  5. The NSW Pap Test register transitioned to the National Cervical Screening Register (NCSR) in November 2017. Therefore, we are unable to report participation for the period ending December 2017. The reporting period has been modified to end in June 2017, with all comparison periods also shifted.

References:

  1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cervical Screening in Australia 2013–to14. Cancer Series no.97 Cat no. CAN 95. Canberra: AIHW, 2016.
  2. Cancer Council Australia. Introduction – Cervical cancer screening. Sydney: Cancer Council Australia, 2017. Available at https://wiki.cancer.org.au/australia/Guidelines:Cervical_cancer/Screening/Introduction (accessed 6 June 2018).
  3. World Health Organisation. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Factsheets. WHO, 2010. Available at http://www.who.int/immunization/topics/hpv/en/ (accessed 19 May 2015).
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