NZ Herald
The National Bowel Screening Programme is failing to deliver screening equitably to Pacific New Zealanders, but there are ways to improve it, research led by the University of Otago, Wellington has found.
The researchers held two talanoa focus groups in 2021, asking Tongan-born New Zealanders over 60 how the programme could be made more effective and equitable. They also talked to four Pacific experts working for the screening programme.
Bowel screening is available to Māori and Pacific people from the age of 50 to 74. A higher proportion of bowel cancer occurs in Māori and Pacific people before they reach 60 (approximately 21% compared to 10% for non-Māori non-Pacific peoples).