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Screening Coverage Indicators

Screening Coverage By Age 35 and 45 Years (WHO Target)

Indicator 7

WHO 2030 target: 70% of women screened using a high-performance test (such as HPV) by 35 years of age and again by 45 years of age.^ 

Status: By the end of 2021, nationally, 73.8% of women aged 35-39 years had been screened at least once with an HPV test and 69.5% of women aged 45-49 years had been screened at least twice (including at least once with an HPV test and one preceding cytology test within the previous 10 years, with at least two years spacing between the tests). Data are not yet available to report on this indicator for Indigenous women. In most areas of Australia, at least 70% of women aged 35-39 years had been screened at least once with an HPV test (exceptions were those living in areas that were inner regional or very remote or in the middle socioeconomic quintile), and several areas met the interim measure of 70% of women aged 45-49 years being screened at least twice (SA and ACT; women living in major cities; and women living in SES quintiles 2 and 5 (the second most and the least disadvantaged)).

^ A high-performance test refers to a test with performance characteristics at least as good as an HPV test.

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73.8%

women aged 35-39 years have been screened using a high-performance test^
Figure 7.1

Percentage of eligible women aged 35-39 years with at least one HPV test, and aged 45-49 years with at least one HPV test plus one earlier screening test, as at 31st December 2021

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

* Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each year who have had at least one HPV test since 1 December 2017 and also at least one primary Pap test in the previous 10 years, with the two tests being separated by at least 2 years. Target is shown as a dashed line, as HPV screening has not been in place long enough for anyone aged 45-49 years to have been screened twice, and so an interim measure is being reported.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.
Figure 7.1

Percentage of eligible women aged 35-39 years with at least one HPV test, and aged 45-49 years with at least one HPV test plus one earlier screening test, as at 31st December 2020

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

* Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each year who have had at least one HPV test since 1 December 2017 and also at least one primary Pap test in the previous 10 years, with the two tests being separated by at least 2 years. Target is shown as a dashed line, as HPV screening has not been in place long enough for anyone aged 45-49 years to have been screened twice, and so an interim measure is being reported.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.
Figure 7.1

Percentage of eligible women aged 35-39 years with at least one HPV test, and aged 45-49 years with at least one HPV test plus one earlier screening test, as at 31st December 2019

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

* Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each year who have had at least one HPV test since 1 December 2017 and also at least one primary Pap test in the previous 10 years, with the two tests being separated by at least 2 years. Target is shown as a dashed line, as HPV screening has not been in place long enough for anyone aged 45-49 years to have been screened twice, and so an interim measure is being reported.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.
Figure 7.1

Percentage of eligible women aged 35-39 years with at least one HPV test, and aged 45-49 years with at least one HPV test plus one earlier screening test, as at 31st December 2018

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

* Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each year who have had at least one HPV test since 1 December 2017 and also at least one primary Pap test in the previous 10 years, with the two tests being separated by at least 2 years. Target is shown as a dashed line, as HPV screening has not been in place long enough for anyone aged 45-49 years to have been screened twice, and so an interim measure is being reported.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.
Figure 7.2

Percentage of eligible women aged 35-39 years as at the end of each calendar year, with at least one HPV test, 2018-2021

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.

Figure 7.3

Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each calendar year, with at least one HPV test and at least one earlier Pap test*, 2018-2021

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

* Percentage of eligible women aged 45-49 years as at the end of each year who have had at least one HPV test since 1 December 2017 and also at least one primary Pap test in the previous 10 years, with the two tests being separated by at least 2 years. Target is shown as a dashed line, as HPV screening has not been in place long enough for anyone aged 45-49 years to have been screened twice, and so an interim measure is being reported.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.

Screening Coverage (Australian Program)

Indicator 8

WHO target: no target set

Status: Nationally, 71.9% of eligible women were up to date with recommended screening by the end of 2021. Data were not available to report on this measure for Indigenous women. As expected, coverage has increased in all groups in each year since the transition to HPV screening due to the longer interval. The proportion of eligible women who were up to date with recommended screening at the end of each year (over 2018 to 2021) was consistently lowest for women living in very remote areas, and highest for women living in the least disadvantaged areas.

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71.9%

of women with up to date screening (by the end of 2021)
Figure 8.1

Percentage of eligible women up to date with screening*, as at the end of each calendar year, 2018-2021

* Women are defined as up to date with screening if they had either a primary cytology test in the previous two years (only relevant for 2018), or a primary HPV test since 1 December 2017 (ie the previous five years restricted to when primary HPV screening was available). Age-standardised (25-74 years) using the Australia 2001 Standard population.

SES Group 1 = most disadvantaged areas; SES Group 5 = least disadvantaged areas.

Data to calculate indicator by Indigenous status was not available.
Figure 8.2

Percentage of eligible women up to date with screening* as at the end of each calendar year, 2018-2021, by age

* Women are defined as up to date with screening if they had either a primary cytology test in the previous two years (only relevant for 2018), or a primary HPV test in the previous five years.