On 1 July 2022, eligibility for self-collection of cervical screening was widened to people aged 25-74 years.
We supported the Department of Health and Aged Care to communicate this change by updating existing resources for community and health workers, and to create new resources for diverse audiences including First Nations people, multicultural communities and healthcare providers.
We took our previous research and consultation on cervical screening together with research commissioned by the Department and conducted a desktop review. The report informed the approach to creating messages and materials appropriate for each target audience.
In addition to a flagship animation explaining choices and updating materials to support the public and healthcare providers, we also developed materials for First Nations and multicultural audiences.
We worked closely with our freelance writer, Danika from Neat Copy (who is a Supply Nation certified business), to develop First Nations materials including visual guide, animation (voiced by Jaina, Aboriginal voice artist), poster, results guide and information sheet. We tested our materials with NACCHO’s medical advisors along the way to make sure they were appropriate for the audience.
To support multicultural audiences, we developed storyboards on choices now available on how to have a cervical screening and another on self-collection. Storyboards are highly visual and designed for people with low English language proficiency to use with healthcare providers or family members. They were tested with the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland and their network of bi-lingual community health workers to make sure they were appropriate for the intended audiences.
We also developed animations on choice and self-collection – with translations into 9 key languages representing under-screened communities. We worked with SBS on translations of the animation.
Visit www.health.gov.au/NCSP for more information.
We supported the Department of Health and Aged Care to update its National Cervical Screening Program suite of resources and to create new communication resources for diverse audiences explaining new choice available for cervical screening tests in Australia.