The latest AIHW National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) Report (2020-21) reveals participation rates in the Government program have fallen for a second time within a decade from 43.8% (2019-20) to 40.9% (2020-21).
The current participation rate is now the same rate as it was in 2015-16.
According to the report, 6.1 million people aged 50-74 were invited to participate in the NBCSP in 2020-21 and 2.49 million tests were returned.
Of those who participated, 76,880 (6.2%) received a positive test result.
A positive result means that blood was detected in the sample and requires further investigation via colonoscopy within 30 days.
But only 11,990 (15.6%) participants were recorded as receiving a follow-up colonoscopy within the recommended time frame.
