Screening

Australia has several national population screening programs aimed at early detection of diseases to improve outcomes and reduce mortality. Here’s a summary of the main programs as of my last update in January 2022:

  1. BreastScreen Australia:
    • Screening Test: Mammography
    • Age Group: Women aged 50-74 are invited for a free mammogram every two years. Women aged 40-49 and those over 74 can also access the service but aren’t routinely invited.
  2. National Cervical Screening Program:
    • Screening Test: HPV (human papillomavirus) test
    • Age Group: Women and people with a cervix aged 25-74 are invited to have an HPV test every five years, provided their last test result was negative. The program transitioned from a 2-yearly Pap test to a 5-yearly HPV test in December 2017.
  3. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program:
    • Screening Test: Faecal occult blood test (FOBT)
    • Age Group: Eligible Australians from ages 50 to 74 receive a free test kit in the mail every two years.
  4. Newborn Bloodspot Screening:
    • Screening Test: Blood test from a heel prick of the newborn to test for rare but serious metabolic, endocrine, and genetic conditions.
    • Age Group: Newborns, usually done when the baby is 48-72 hours old.
  5. Newborn Hearing Screening:
    • Screening Test: Automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) or otoacoustic emissions (OAE) tests to check for hearing impairment.
    • Age Group: Newborns, typically before they leave the hospital or within the first month of life.
  6. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening:
    • While there’s no national screening program for AAA in Australia, some states have pilot or local programs.
    • Screening Test: Ultrasound
    • Age Group: Typically men aged 65 and over, as they are at the highest risk.
  7. Bone Density Screening:
    1. DEXA scanning is not routinely recommended for the general population but is targeted towards specific groups at higher risk of osteoporosis and related bone conditions.
    2. Screening Test: DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)
    3. Men and Women aged 70 are offered a one time scan as age is a significant risk factor for osteoporosis
    4. Postmenopausal women and men aged 50 and older who have risk factors for fracture, including:
      • A history of minimal trauma fracture after the age of 50.
      • Long-term use of glucocorticoid therapy.
      • Conditions associated with low bone mass such as rheumatoid arthritis or conditions that result in malabsorption (e.g., celiac disease).
      • Family history of osteoporosis or hip fracture.

Newborn Screening Tests

  1. Phenylketonuria (PKU): An inherited metabolic disorder where the body can’t break down the amino acid phenylalanine.
  2. Cystic Fibrosis (CF): A genetic disorder affecting the lungs and digestive system.
  3. Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH): A condition where the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.
  4. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH): A group of inherited disorders affecting the adrenal glands.
  5. Amino Acid Disorders: Including conditions such as Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), Homocystinuria, Tyrosinemia, and others.
  6. Organic Acid Disorders: Including conditions like Medium Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD), Multiple Carboxylase Deficiency, Isovaleric Acidemia, and others.
  7. Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders: Such as Very Long Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (VLCADD) and Long Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (LCHADD).
  8. Galactosaemia: A condition where the body can’t break down the sugar galactose.
  9. Biotinidase deficiency: A condition where the body can’t release free biotin.
  10. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID): A disorder characterized by a severely weak immune system.