key messages for health professionals: changes to cervical
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Key messages for health professionals:
Changes to cervical screening: What you need to know
In November 2019, the Ministry of Health raised the start age for cervical screening from 20 to 25 years of age.
• The decision to change the cervical screening start age was supported by a strong body of evidence that screening women between 20 and 24 years of age provides little benefit to women and has the potential to cause harm. Read more here.
• Since the start of the National Cervical Screening Programme in 1990, there has been no reduction in rates of cervical cancer for women under 25 years old as a result of screening, despite significant reductions in both cancer incidence and mortality for women older than 25 years of age.
• The age change is in line with international best practice. Many other countries including UK, Australia, France and Norway commence screening at 25.
• The recommended approach for implementing the age change is that from November 2019, eligible people should be invited to be screened as they approach 25 years of age. Anyone aged 20 to 24 years who had already started screening will continue to be recalled for screening. Those who have been invited but not commenced screening are to be managed by their health provider as appropriate.
• To support the age change, the Ministry of Health has launched a national media campaign and developed resources to help educate, empower and motivate young women, and anyone with a cervix, aged 25 to 29 to commence regular screening.
• Informed by research with the target audience, the campaign highlights the role of screening in cervical cancer prevention as well as the importance of people looking after their cervix for future reproductive health, whānau health, whakapapa and overall wellbeing.
• The ‘Give your cervix some screen time’ media campaign includes a new webpage www.starttoscreen.nz containing informational videos which help to inform young people on the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of cervical screening. These videos are available for providers to use and share, as are many other campaign materials. For campaign videos and other content, please visit the ‘Start to Screen’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
• Visit the NSU project page to download the campaign toolkit, and for more information.
• A key message to be shared with young people is that HPV immunisation, in combination with cervical screening, are the best ways to prevent cervical cancer. We ask that health providers continue to encourage both men and women under 27 to get their free HPV immunisation.
• The programme continues to encourage anyone with a cervix, whatever their age or gender identity, who are experiencing abnormal symptoms to talk to their health provider directly.