Australia’s bathroom habits are in the spotlight today as Cancer Council and the Australian Government encourage all Australians aged 50-74 to Get2it and participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) when they receive their free test kit in the mail.
New data from YouGov shows that people aged 50 and over, spend around 35 minutes a day in the bathroom, totalling 212 hours a year. Cancer Council suggests that this is more than enough time for eligible Australians do the test and potentially save their lives. Screening rates for Australia’s second biggest cancer killer currently sit at just 43.5 per cent.
Interestingly, one-fifth (21 per cent) of Australians say that the time they spend in the bathroom is about maintaining good health, meaning that whilst they have the best intentions, they are simply not getting to bowel screening. Test kits are sent to 50-74 year old Australians every two years.
Cancer Council CEO, Professor Tanya Buchanan, said: “In the 424 hours, or 18 days, each Australian spends in the bathroom every two years, thousands of potentially life-saving samples could be taken. Countless lives can be saved if eligible Australians, especially those in their 50s swapped out time spent scrolling on their phones while on the loo, with bowel screening time.”
A quarter (25 per cent) of eligible Australians use their mobile phones on the toilet. The top reasons for using a phone on the toilet includes scrolling social media (45 per cent), reading the news (39 per cent), texting (23 per cent) and gaming (23 per cent).
Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Mark Butler MP, said: “We are asking Australians aged 50 and over to make time to look after their health by doing their free bowel test when it arrives in the mail. If we can get 60 per cent of eligible Australians screening and keep it that way, we can save 84,000 lives by 2040.
“Screen time is a feature of modern life and we want screening time to come just as naturally, so why not use your next bathroom stop to complete the test, or add a reminder to your calendar.”
Research shows that placing the bowel screening test kit in the bathroom straight away, as well as setting reminders on your phone, could increase screening rates.
NRL stars and commentator, Petero Civoniceva, Geoff Toovey and Andrew Voss have been enlisted to help spread the word on the importance of bowel screening, particularly to men aged 50-59.
In the ramp up to the State of Origin decider, the campaign will see Civoniceva, Toovey and Voss star in an instructional video, which will have them commentating a bowel screening test, much like they would a footy match.
NRL Commentator Andrew Voss said bowel cancer prevention and awareness is close to his and his family’s heart.
“Bowel cancer awareness is a cause that really hits home for me because I’ve seen first-hand how devastating bowel cancer can be after my grandmother was diagnosed with bowel cancer late in the piece before sadly passing away,” said Voss.
“Early diagnosis could save your life, so I’m honoured to be able to partner with Cancer Council and the Australian Government to help Aussies prioritise their health, Get2It and do a bowel screening test.”
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program delivers screening kits to the homes of eligible Australians aged 50-74 every two years. The test is free, quick, and hygienic and can be completed at home and returned in the post.
