Publications

Image preview of Equity and Performance Matrix resource

Equity and Performance Matrix

August, 2019
In Aotearoa New Zealand, people have differences in health that are not only avoidable but unfair and unjust. Equity recognises different people with different levels of advantage require different approaches and resources to get equitable health outcomes. While equity is an essential part of a functioning health system, by itself it does not provide the full picture. Health systems must also be performing to the expected levels. The Equity and Performance Matrix intertwines both measures so that one cannot be considered without the other, essentially elevating equity to a tier one measure.

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Image preview of Impact analysis: Extending BreastScreen Aotearoa to include women aged 70-74 years resource

Impact analysis: Extending BreastScreen Aotearoa to include women aged 70-74 years

May, 2019
This analysis provides a summary of the potential impacts of extending the age range for the national breast screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa, to include women up to age 74. The analysis uses modelling and what we know about breast cancer and breast screening to provide a high-level summary of the impacts of a potential age extension on women, screening and treatment providers and the wider health sector. One of its aims is to help shape changes to the existing programme to provide the most benefit for New Zealanders.

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Image preview of Interval Cancers in the Bowel Screening Pilot – Preliminary Report FIT negative resource

Interval Cancers in the Bowel Screening Pilot – Preliminary Report FIT negative

March, 2019
The report provides a preliminary analysis of interval cancers from the Bowel Screening Pilot (BSP) and early estimates of sensitivity. Interval cancers are cancers that are diagnosed between a negative (normal) screen and the time the next screen would have occurred. Sensitivity is the proportion of cancers in the screened population that are identified through screening. This report is preliminary as it is restricted to the first four years of the BSP and solely refers to interval cancers and sensitivity relating to the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) part of the screening pathway. It is also preliminary as it does not include interval cancers diagnosed following a negative diagnostic test (colonoscopy or computed tomographic (CT)-colonoscopy) undertaken in response to a positive FIT. Neither does the report include the stage or sight of the interval cancers. The report has been produced to share the information gathered to date in the spirit of transparency and open communication. However, caution is advised in drawing any strong conclusions from analysis due in part to the restrictions noted above but more importantly because the number of cancers identified to date is small.

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Image preview of Review of Cervical Cancer Occurrences in relation to Screening History in New Zealand for the years 2008-2012 resource

Review of Cervical Cancer Occurrences in relation to Screening History in New Zealand for the years 2008-2012

May, 2018
This document represents the advice and recommendations made to the Ministry of Health regarding the National Cervical Screening Programme by the independent review team based at the University of Otago, Christchurch.

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Image preview of Interval cancers in BreastScreen Aotearoa 2008-2009 resource

Interval cancers in BreastScreen Aotearoa 2008-2009

February, 2018
This report presents analysis of interval cancers from the BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) programme. Interval cancers are those diagnosed between a normal screening result and the next scheduled screen (in BSA this interval is two years). The report covers 2008–2009 screens and makes comparisons to previously published BSA data and international results.

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Image preview of UNHSEIP Diagnostic and amplification protocols resource

UNHSEIP Diagnostic and amplification protocols

January, 2016
This document (previously referred to as Appendix F) details key procedural elements and technical specifications required for the provision of audiologic assessment and amplification to babies and pre-school children identified through the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme (UNHSEIP). Section 3.3.3 Audiological management of babies has been updated. The revised protocol can be found under the title “Revised Audiology Guidelines for babies with meningitis” in the Publications section (see top left of this webpage and click on publications) of the NSU Website. This section of the Diagnostic and amplification protocols should be replaced with the new guidelines in all DHBs pending a full update of the document.

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Image preview of Cohort and Case Control Analyses of Breast Cancer Mortality: BreastScreen Aotearoa 1999-2011 resource

Cohort and Case Control Analyses of Breast Cancer Mortality: BreastScreen Aotearoa 1999-2011

December, 2015
This major new study confirms that New Zealand’s organised breast screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) is reducing deaths from breast cancer. The study concludes that for women who have ever been screened by BSA, the rate of death from breast cancer is reduced by a third, compared to women never screened by the programme. The findings of this study are in line with mortality studies of breast screening programmes internationally.

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