Breast Screening coverage

Coverage is an important performance indicator for all those involved in BreastScreen Aotearoa at both regional and national levels.

BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) is a national screening programme funded by the Government to offer free mammography every two years to women aged 45–69 years of age. The aim of BSA is to reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer by the early detection and treatment of the disease.

Improving uptake of the breast cancer screening programme by Māori and Pacific women is a key priority as part of the BSA's commitment to achieving equity. Coverage rates are monitored closely for these two groups.

Breast screening coverage

Coverage is an important performance indicator for all those involved in BreastScreen Aotearoa at both regional and national levels.

Access BSA coverage data

Definition & statistical methods

Coverage is defined as the proportion of women eligible for screening who have been screened in the previous two-year period. The number of women eligible is derived from Statistics NZ Census base populations at the midpoint of the two-year screening period.

Screened women are included in the coverage calculations based on their age at the time of their screen. This means that coverage for women aged 50–69 years includes women who may have turned 70 or 71 during the monitoring period.

Rescreening rates are calculated as the number of women rescreened within 20-27 months of their previous screen as a percentage of the number of women eligible for a rescreen. Where a woman has more than one screening episode recorded in a screening period, only the last episode is reported. This may result in variances when a woman’s screen and rescreen is completed by different providers.

BSA monitor initial and subsequent screening rates as there are different patterns or rescreening between these two groups. Initial rescreens are the proportion of women who have a screening mammogram within 20-27 months after their first screen. Subsequent rescreens are related to women who have already returned for at least one rescreen.

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA

March 2020

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2020

December 2019

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2019.

September 2019

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending September 2019.

June 2019

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending June 2019.

March 2019

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2019.

December 2018

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2018.

September 2018

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending September 2018.

June 2018

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending June 2018.

March 2018

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2018.

December 2017

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2017.

September 2017

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending September 2017.

June 2017

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending June 2017.

March 2017

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2017.

December 2016

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2016.

September 2016

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending September 2016.

June 2016

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending June 2016.

March 2016

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2016.

December 2015

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2015.

September 2015

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending September 2015.

June 2015

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending June 2015.

March 2015

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending March 2015.

December 2014

Quarterly reports on coverage of women in BSA, by DHB for the quarter ending December 2014.