New resources aim to support cervical screening for First Nations women
16 Sep 2026
Only 51% of eligible First Nations women had a Cervical Screening Test in the past five years, compared with 78% of the total population.
First Nations women are also twice as likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3.4 times more likely to die from the disease compared with the total population.
The new resources are part of a project called Swish with your sistas. The name refers to the movement of a self-collection swab used to collect a Cervical Screening Test sample. It is also a companion initiative to BreastScreen Australia’s Screen with your sistas campaign.
The resources were developed in consultation with First Nations women across Australia. The aim was to ensure the information is culturally safe, respectful, clear and relevant to communities.
The resources include:
- Posters
- Brochures
- Animations
- Fact sheets
- Social media tiles
They can be used to:
- Raise awareness of cervical screening
- Support clinical conversations
- Provide instructions for self-collection
- Give patients information and reassurance about cervical screening
Increasing access to clear and culturally appropriate information may help more First Nations women and people with a cervix who are overdue for screening or have never screened to take part in cervical screening.
New resources aim to support cervical screening for First Nations women
Source: Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – Swish with your sistas.