Additional Needs Assessments Required
Bowel cancer screening is a service which aims to reduce bowel cancer mortality by preventing bowel cancers from developing and diagnosing bowel cancers early.
Understanding the context of this needs assessment could be further supported by a broader cancer needs and assets assessment. Many risk factors exist for cancers, and this is true for bowel cancer as well. Preventable risk factors for bowel cancer include alcohol and tobacco consumption and obesity , for which there are separate JSNAs. The prevalence of these preventable risk factors, and the negative impact of them due to less socioeconomical capital, is significantly higher in north Tyneside’s more deprived communities.
Given the variation in bowel screening uptake in North Tyneside, it is incumbent to carry out targeted investigations and interventions with cohorts such as the Learning-Disabled community as well as men and those working in routine and manual occupations.
As the difference in uptake within North Tyneside is largest between our most and least deprived communities, targeted work with communities living with high levels of deprivation is necessary to creating any change in uptake and therefore mortality.
Working in collaboration with organisations and communities is essential for identifying assets which can be maximised to increase breast cancer screening uptake.