Community and Primary Care Perceptions on Cervical and Breast Screening Participation Among CALD Women in the Nepean Blue Mountains Region

The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the cancer screening behaviours of women from different CALD groups in the Nepean Blue Mountains (NBM) region, and identify barriers and facilitators to participation in cancer screening for breast and cervical cancer. This allowed identification of barriers and facilitators to accessing cancer screening via the three national cancer screening programs. Women from a wide range of cultural backgrounds were interviewed (Figure 1), including Bhutanese, Sri Lankan, Italian, Filipino, Greek, Maltese, Spanish, Peruvian, Chilean, Macedonian, Croatian, Uruguayan, Argentinian, El Salvadorian, German and Samoan. General practitioners, practice nurses and practice managers were also interviewed to examine their views around cancer screening behaviours of CALD women living in the NBM region and to identify possible solutions to increasing the current low participation in cancer screening. This report presents the views of both female community and primary care participants around perceptions of health in this community, participation in the two national cancer screening programs.