Breast Screening Campaign in Australia: Aim, Outcome, and Success

Running Head: Health Promotion
HEALTH PROMOTION
(BREASTSCREEN AUSTRALIA)

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Health Promotion
Table of Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................3
Discussion about the disease.......................................................................................3
Aim of the campaign and the outcome variable...........................................................3
Target population..........................................................................................................4
Selected risk factors.....................................................................................................5
Methodology of campaign............................................................................................5
1. Framework or model.............................................................................................5
2. Method of data collection......................................................................................6
Discussion about the success of the campaign...........................................................7
Conclusion....................................................................................................................8

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Health Promotion
Introduction
Public health campaigns are concerned about increasing awareness of target
population about the subject of the campaign. These campaigns are good for society
as these advice people to comply with certain practices to avoid diseases.
Sometimes, public health campaigns help in diagnosis of diseases. This essay is
concerned about discussing and criticizing the Breast screening campaign in
Australia. This campaign creates consciousness among women regarding
possibilities of breast cancer and impels them for breast cancer screening. Aim and
outcome of this campaign along with target population are being discussed in this
essay. This essay is discussing risk factors of breast cancer. On the other hand,
critical evaluation of models adopted by campaign authority, data collection method
and success factors are included within this essay.
Discussion about the disease
Breast cancer is a type of malignant tumor, which starts in breast cells.
Damage in DNA and genetic mutations cause this disease. Individuals, who have
defects in genes like BRCA1, BRCA2 and DNA, have high risk of this disease
(Cancer.gov, 2019). It is the second-highest cause of cancer-related deaths in
Australia. According to the reports of Australian institute of health and welfare,
approximately 19371 new cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed in 2019
(Breast-cancer.canceraustralia.gov.au, 2019). In this report, it has been estimated
that 3058 females have died due to this disease. Hence, 6.2% of affected patients
have died in 2019 due to breast cancer (Breast-cancer.canceraustralia.gov.au,
2019). Moreover, from the reports of AIHW, it can be seen that the cases of this
disease has increased from 2015 to 2019. In 2015, only 16,852 females with breast
cancer were diagnosed. However, in 2019, the numbers of breast cancer cases have
increased to 19,371 (Cancer.gov, 2019). The incidence rate of this disease is
expected to increase with age. Vulnerability of this disease increases the most at
age group 70 to 74 for females. As stated by Boyages et al. (2016), breast cancer is
a disease of abnormal growth of cells lining the breast ducts or lobules. This disease
occurs due to increasing age of women, family history, improper lifestyle such as
drinking and exposure to female hormones (Cancer.org.au, 2019).

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Health Promotion
Aim of the campaign and the outcome variable
The Breast screening campaign in Australia is one of the most popular
national breast cancer screening programs. Aim of this public health campaign is to
reduce the rate of deaths due to breast cancer by detecting this disease in its early
stage (Cancerscreening.gov.au, 2019). This campaign is encouraging women for
screening to detect cancer in the early stages. This approach can help in diagnosing
and treating cancer from the early stages, which can increase the chance of survival.
The breast screening campaign of Australia is successfully running and it has
helped reduced the rate of death due to breast cancer in Australia. Since 1996-1997,
this program has been held. Approximately 50 women per 10000 women have
attended the first episode of this program (Aihw.gov.au, 2019). Gradually this
number has increased. This campaign invites women under 50-74 age group for
screening in every 2 years. This campaign is offering this service at free of cost. In
2016-2017, approximately 55.1% of Australian women have participated in the
program (health.qld.gov.au, 2019). It means that this program is successfully helping
older women to detect breast cancer in early stages. The outcome of this campaign
is encouraging concerned stakeholders to continue this program in the future as well.
Target population
Target population of BreastScreen Australia is women from the age group 50
and 74. Mammography is done, which helps in population-based screening. A
screening mammography process is an x-ray of the breast that is done for detecting
breast cancer. This process usually involves two x-rays of each breast. Mammogram
helps in detecting tumors, which cannot be felt earlier (Hopkinsmedicine.org, 2018).
This population group is selected for this campaign because threat of breast cancer
increases as women progresses to the age of 50. For women, less than 40 years,
mammographic screening is not recommended (Aihw.gov.au, 2018). Previously the
age group was 50 to 69 but in the federal budget of 2013 and 14 Australian
government has committed to provide funding $55.7 that has helped this campaign
to increase the range of target population (Aihw.gov.au, 2018). At present, the target
population is 50-74 age.
Selected risk factors