Factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales, Australia
10 affiliations
- 1School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- 2The Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- 3Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- 4University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
- 5University Centre for Rural Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- 6School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia
- 7School of Population Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- 8College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
- 9Yardhura Walani, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australia National University, Canberra, Australia
- 10Australian Unity, Sydney, NSW Australia
Abstract
Background: First Nations Australians consistently exhibit lower bowel screening participation rates than non-First Nations Australians. However, limited studies have been conducted to understand the factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Australians. This study aims to identify factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among older First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study among older First Nations customers receiving Australian Unity Aboriginal home health care services in NSW was conducted from June to September 2023. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews administered by trained First Nations staff, using a structured, culturally appropriate online survey. Multivariable logistic regression was performed, and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of 333 study participants, 72% (95% CI: 67%-77%) reported that they had ever participated in bowel cancer screening. Participants aged 50–54 (aOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.87), 55–59 (aOR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.08–0.50), and 60–64 years (aOR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06–0.39) were less likely to participate in bowel cancer screening than participants aged 70–74. Males were less likely (aOR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17–0.68) to participate in bowel cancer screening than females. Those who said they had been informed about bowel cancer screening were more likely (aOR: 11.1; 95% CI: 5.45–22.60) to participate in bowel cancer screening than those who said they had not been informed. Those who said they had been given a bowel cancer screening kit by their doctor to perform the test themselves were more likely (aOR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.15–4.55) to participate in bowel cancer screening than those who said they had not been given it.
Conclusion: Being informed about bowel cancer screening was associated with higher bowel cancer screening participation, and culturally appropriate information provision should be further evaluated in intervention studies. Younger age and being male were associated with lower bowel cancer screening participation. Efforts to promote bowel cancer screening should continue, with a particular emphasis on increasing participation among First Nations Australian men.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w.
Related
- Women’s compliance with cervical cancer screening recommendations and associated barriers to participation: A cross-sectional analysis
- Factors affecting adolescent participation in HIV/AIDS prevention services provided by Non-Governmental Organizations in Iran
- Negotiating safety and inclusivity: a qualitative analysis examining public priorities for sexual behaviour screening in blood donation in Australia
- Interval colorectal cancer risk by haemoglobin concentration in Australia's National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
- Travel time modelling of access to surgical abortion services in Australia: A nationwide spatial analysis of distance, geographic, and socio-economic inequities
BibTeX
@article{baykeda2026factors,
title = {{Factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales, Australia}},
author = {Tsegaw Amare Baykeda and Shafkat Jahan and Kirsten Howard and Rakhee Raghunandan and Joan Cunningham and David C. Currow and Veronica Matthews and Ian Olver and Rebecca Ivers and Gillian Harvey and Tamara Butler and Sheree Bennett and Gail Garvey},
journal = {BMC Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales, Australia
AU - Tsegaw Amare Baykeda
AU - Shafkat Jahan
AU - Kirsten Howard
AU - Rakhee Raghunandan
AU - Joan Cunningham
AU - David C. Currow
AU - Veronica Matthews
AU - Ian Olver
AU - Rebecca Ivers
AU - Gillian Harvey
AU - Tamara Butler
AU - Sheree Bennett
AU - Gail Garvey
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/07
JO - BMC Public Health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w
AB - Background: First Nations Australians consistently exhibit lower bowel screening participation rates than non-First Nations Australians. However, limited studies have been conducted to understand the factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among First Nations Australians. This study aims to identify factors associated with bowel cancer screening participation among older First Nations Peoples receiving home health care services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Methods: A cross-sectional study among older First Nations customers receiving Australian Unity Aboriginal home health care services in NSW was conducted from June to September 2023. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews administered by trained First Nations staff, using a structured, culturally appropriate online survey. Multivariable logistic regression was performed, and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Of 333 study participants, 72% (95% CI: 67%-77%) reported that they had ever participated in bowel cancer screening. Participants aged 50–54 (aOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.87), 55–59 (aOR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.08–0.50), and 60–64 years (aOR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06–0.39) were less likely to participate in bowel cancer screening than participants aged 70–74. Males were less likely (aOR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17–0.68) to participate in bowel cancer screening than females. Those who said they had been informed about bowel cancer screening were more likely (aOR: 11.1; 95% CI: 5.45–22.60) to participate in bowel cancer screening than those who said they had not been informed. Those who said they had been given a bowel cancer screening kit by their doctor to perform the test themselves were more likely (aOR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.15–4.55) to participate in bowel cancer screening than those who said they had not been given it. Conclusion: Being informed about bowel cancer screening was associated with higher bowel cancer screening participation, and culturally appropriate information provision should be further evaluated in intervention studies. Younger age and being male were associated with lower bowel cancer screening participation. Efforts to promote bowel cancer screening should continue, with a particular emphasis on increasing participation among First Nations Australian men. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28878-w.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -