Close to half of eligible Australians are failing to participate in bowel cancer screening.

A recent study tracked participation rates in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) from 2015 to 2020 and found that while there was a slight increase from 40.9 per cent to 43.8 per cent over the years, the numbers are still concerningly low. 

Participation rates are down even further in remote or disadvantaged areas, raising concerns about equitable access to healthcare across the nation.

To understand the geographical variation in participation, the researchers used some advanced statistical models. 

They found that participation was consistently lower in remote or disadvantaged areas, but surprisingly, there were some spots within these broad categories that bucked the trend.

However, the spatial differences in participation remained stubbornly evident throughout the study periods, with no significant changes observed. 

The researchers estimated that if these low-participation areas could be brought up to speed (around the 80th percentile), an extra 250,000 screenings could have been conducted during the most recent period. 

Despite having a well-structured and government-funded screening program, researchers say Australia should do more to tailor interventions to suit the unique characteristics of different regions and their inhabitants. 

Understanding the reasons behind these geographical disparities could lead to a more equitable distribution of screening efforts and, ultimately, more Australians giving a crap about their health.