To the Editor: Flitcroft and colleagues’ discussion of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program provides a useful reminder of how political, institutional and financial issues can affect evidence-based policy.1 Bowel cancer is second to prostate cancer as the biggest cause of cancer death in Australian men, and men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with bowel cancer. There are no indications, however, that the screening program has sought to engage men as a target group.
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- 1 Canberra, ACT.
- 2 School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC.
- 1. Flitcroft KL, Salkeld GP, Gillespie JA, et al. Fifteen years of bowel cancer screening policy in Australia: putting evidence into practice? Med J Aust 2010; 193: 37-42. <MJA full text>
- 2. Peerson A, Saunders M. Men’s health literacy: advancing evidence and priorities. Crit Public Health 2009; 19: 441-456.
- 3. Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot Monitoring and Evaluation Steering Committee. A qualitative evaluation of opinions, attitudes and behaviours influencing the Bowel Cancer Screening Pilot Program: final report. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2005.
- 4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Department of Health and Ageing. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program monitoring report 2007. Cancer series no. 40. Canberra: AIHW, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. 35). http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/can/nbcspmr07/nbcspmr07.pdf (accessed Sep 2010).
- 5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Department of Health and Ageing. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program monitoring report 2008. Cancer series no. 44. Canberra: AIHW, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. 40.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10665 (accessed Sep 2010).
- 6. Cancer Council Victoria. Men are putting themselves at greater risk of bowel cancer [media release]. 2 Oct 2007. http://www.cancervic.org.au/media/media-releases/2007_media_releases/october_2007/men_at_big_risk_bowel_cancer.html (accessed Sep 2010).
- 7. Sherlock E. Breast screening shortfall. Canberra Times 2008; 13 Jul: 9.
- 8. Javanparast S, Ward PR, Cole S, et al. A cross-sectional analysis of participation in National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in Adelaide by age, gender and geographical location of residence. Australas Med J 2010; 3 (1): 141-146.