Using a supported accommodation setting to reach women experiencing homelessness and/or socio-economic disadvantage to increase cervical screening

Research status

Completed

Overview of Study

In 2013, Sydney Local Health District (SLHD), Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre, Family Planning NSW and Domestic Violence NSW (formerly NSW Women’s Refuge Movement) commenced a NSW Cancer Institute-funded health promotion project based within supported accommodation services.

The aim of the project was to increase cervical cancer screening rates for women experiencing socio economic disadvantage, who were homeless and living in supported accommodation or accessing support services within SLHD.

Resources were developed, informed by interviews and focus group discussions with women accessing local services. Education was also provided to support workers across 12 support services. This included information about cervical screening, discussion of the barriers women accessing their services might be experiencing and provision of the project resources

The project made an important contribution to the longer-term work of increasing access to cervical screening for women experiencing homelessness and/or socio-economic disadvantage.

(This research project has been approved by the Family Planning NSW Ethics Committee; approval number R2013-10)

Partners

Sydney Local Health District