DRAFT
about the availability and use of fixed and mobile screening sites within AHS over time)
with NSW Health Survey data would provide insights into the likely impact that
improved access to screening services will have on participation rates amongst women
overall as well as its effect on different socio-economic groups.
Whilst the variable “born overseas” did not reach statistical significance (p<0.12) the
coefficient indicated that women born overseas were more likely to have never screened.
This result warrants closer scrutiny because of the program’s reliance on electoral rolls to
recruit women to the program. The electoral roll is a relatively reliable source of data but
excludes those who are ineligible to vote. In 2006, 26% of people born overseas and
residing in Australiafor over two years had not taken out Australian citizenship and were
therefore not on the electoral roll (Australian Bureau of Statistics., 2006). This suggests
that other means of recruiting women born overseas may need to be examined. It should
be noted that the ‘overseas born’ variable is an imperfect proxyfor non-citizenship.
Importantly, this study found no evidence that people who spoke a language other than
English at home screened at a lower rate than their English speaking counterparts,
indicating that there are no significant language barriers to screening in NSW.
The study also showed that the number of hours worked by a woman her increased the
likelihood that she would be an irregular screener. This may be due to working women
having lessflexibility to take time during working hours to attend breast screening
services. The potential that longer opening hours and location of screening services closer
to places of work will increase screening rates required investigation.
Younger women in the cohort are significantly more likely to have never screened. This
result is likely to be a reflection of the Breast Screen program’s policy to commence
inviting women at age 50. However, the results also provide some evidence that the
program can improve participation rates through recruitment strategies aimed at the
younger cohort. Age was notfound to be significant amongst the irregular screening
group.
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