Improving bowel cancer outcomes for multicultural women
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. Around 1 in 14 Australians will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime. This project, which commenced in 2024, is designed to enhance knowledge of, and access to bowel screening and colonoscopy services for women from multicultural backgrounds. Funded by the Cancer Institute NSW, the project is being delivered by Women’s Health NSW in partnership with 6 women’s health centres. Together we are exploring, analysing and reporting on the current challenges women and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds face when accessing bowel screening and colonoscopy services. By identifying strategies to address these barriers, we will promote regular screening, timely diagnosis and treatment that improve health outcomes for women from multicultural backgrounds across NSW.
Pathways Project
“Local pathways for victim survivors of sexual assault related non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury” (the Pathways Project) was established after Women’s Health NSW identified a need to support and strengthen professional understanding and local capacity to respond to sexual assault-related non-fatal strangulation and acquired brain injury. By building awareness of the risks of non-fatal strangulation and sexual choking, and through the development of robust, multidisciplinary referral pathways across the state, the Pathways Project supported women to seek help and making informed choices about their health and wellbeing. The Pathways Project, which ran between 2023 and 2025, was one of 14 projects in the NSW Sexual Violence Project Fund, jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments. More information about this project can be found on the dedicated online learning hub, It Left No Marks: http://www.itleftnomarks.com.au
Women’s Health NSW Database
Women’s Health NSW initially developed a database system that recognises a holistic and feminist approach in health care using a Microsoft Access software platform, which we are in the process of migrating over to Microsoft SQL. Most of our members use the WHNSW Database on a daily basis. Some centres, such as Full Stop Australia who use sophisticated encrypted web-based database, forward their information annually for inclusion in WHNSW Statewide Statistical Chart Summaries (view them in WHNSW Annual Reports).
The WHNSW Database, an integrated client management and statistical collection system, enhances the capacity of our members in their own evaluation processes, improves client management systems and provides a statewide view of women’s health issues in order to monitor trends and to inform planning and policy development.
The Women’s Health NSW Database has the following capacities:
- Client management: demographics
- Service management: client contact, date, mode of service, practitioner type and funding source, identified health issues, services provided and referral links and follow-up/recall module
- Group programs: date, type, participant and session numbers
- Data reporting: client demographics, practitioner contacts, presenting health issues, services provided, contact mode, group report
- Personnel directory: staff, management, members and volunteers
- Health worker and organisation directory.
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