Cervical screening rates surge after MP’s diagnosis
Health services across the country have seen a surge in bookings for cervical screening after Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan spoke out about her cervical cancer diagnosis.
Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond said there had been strong demand for cervical screening appointments across its clinics, and many call-takers were hearing from women who hadn’t been screened in years.
‘‘It seems the bravery of Minister Allan speaking out is inspirational for some women,’’ Edmond said. ‘‘One caller told our staff member that she hadn’t had a smear for 13 years and the news about Minister Allan had galvanised her into getting one.’’
Edmond said she did not have details around the ethnicity of the people making appointments.
Regular cervical screening and the HPV vaccination are the best protection against cervical cancer, she said. Te Hiku Hauora clinic in Kaitaia had also seen a recent surge in bookings, a spokeswoman for the health clinic said.
The surge had included an increased number bookings from Ma¯ ori women over 40.
‘‘Some of them have actually mentioned they have come to have their screening because of Kiri Allan’s story,’’ the spokeswoman said. New Zealand’s screening programme calls for a smear test every three years for women aged 25 to 69 years.
It has reduced incidences of cancer by 50 per cent and mortality rates by 60 per cent since it was introduced in 1990.
However, Ma¯ ori, Pasifika and Asian patients are less likely than Pa¯ keha¯ to have regular screenings.
Of the 72 per cent of eligible women who are screened each year, 78 per cent of European New Zealanders access a smear test, according to the latest figures from the Cancer Society.
Only 62 per cent of eligible Ma¯ ori, 69 per cent of Pasifika and 59 per cent of Asian women get a test.