Extended Age Breast Screening Misses Target

The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) expressed deep concern over progress figures recently released by the National Screening Unit for its extended age breast screening programme. The figures show that in the 12 months since the extension of the screening age, BreastScreen Aotearoa fell well short of its target for screening women eligible for participation in the programme.

In July 2004, the National Screening Unit extended the age for free mammograms to include women aged 45-49 and women aged 65-69. It promised to attain the international target percentage of 70% screening of all eligible women. While the extended screening programme has been in place for 22 months, only the 12 month figures are currently available to the public.

‘The figures for the period July 2004 to June 2005,’ said BCAC spokesperson Claire Ryan, ‘show that the number of women between 45 and 49 screened was only 4.5%. In that same period, 42.6% of eligible women between 65 and 69 years were screened and 64% of eligible women between 50 and 64. Given the 70% target, the percentages for both ends of the extended programme are low, but for women in the lower bracket, alarmingly so. For Māori and Pacifican women, the statistics are even worse.’

National MP Jackie Blue stated this week that, based on information supplied in answer to a parliamentary question, the percentages after 22 months were around 56% for women in the 64-69 year old bracket and a mere 19% for the 45-49 year old women. ‘This is extremely disappointing data,’ said Ms Ryan, ‘especially when the National Screening Unit’s Vision Statement includes an aim to reduce inequalities. We cannot see much of that in these figures.’