What is screening?
Cancer screening is a test that looks for early signs of cancer in people without symptoms. It is not the same as the tests a person may have when doctors are diagnosing or treating cancer.
There are three screening programmes in the UK, bowel, breast and cervical. The eligibility criteria for each differs between UK nations. You can check whether you’re eligible for each of the screening programmes depending on which nation you live in below.
Empowering communities
After positive feedback from pilot participants, organisers now hope to reach hundreds more women in Scotland and the Northeast of England.
The project’s new funding will also provide training for more women from Muslim communities to help deliver workshops.
It is hoped the results from this project and lessons learned can help reduce barriers and increase uptake in other groups, such as male participation in bowel cancer screening or cancer screening in other ethnic minority groups.
“Our aim is to empower women in Muslim communities with the knowledge they need as screening can be crucial to detecting cancer early when it is most treatable with the best chance of a successful outcome,” said co-lead Professor Katie Robb, professor of behavioural science and health, at the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow.
“Tackling inequalities is absolutely crucial to ensuring everyone, regardless of where they live or their ethnic background, has the best chance against cancer,” added Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive.
“We know people from ethnic minorities may be less likely to respond to cancer screening invitations and hopefully this project will encourage more people to take up such opportunities, and to find out what barriers prevent them doing so.
“Removing these barriers could save lives by catching cancer early when treatment is most likely to be effective.”
