CASE STUDY: METHODOLOGY IN BUILDING INFORMATION AND EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR A NATIONAL SCREENING PROGRAM Supporting participation paramount in the upcoming National Lung Cancer Screening Program
With
Dr Rachael Dodd
Senior Research Fellow,
The Daffodil Centre, a Cancer Council NSW & The University of Sydney Joint Venture
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH JOURNAL CASE STUDY
Filmed in Sydney | April 2025
At the recent Screening Conference 2025 in Sydney, hosted by Public Health Association, Dr Rachael Dodd, Senior Research Fellow at The Daffodil Centre, spoke about the information and educational resources created to increase awareness in the healthcare workforce and community on the upcoming Australia’s National Lung Cancer Screening Program commencing in July 2025.
A consortium including The Daffodil Centre, Lung Foundation Australia, Cancer Council Victoria and University of Melbourne were engaged by the Australian Government, through Cancer Australia to deliver a suite of information materials, workforce education resources, and a dissemination strategy for the Program, seen as paramount to support participation.
Dr Dodd talked to Australian Health Journal about the qualitative research process over the past 6 years, from a scoping review of existing lung cancer screening (LCS) information materials and messaging and an environmental scan of existing cancer screening program resources to inform initial development of the key messages, proposed information resources and the dissemination strategy. These were further developed through individual interviews and co-design workshops with the healthcare workforce and community members.
The scoping review identified 34 articles reporting strategies to increase awareness and knowledge of LCS. The environmental scan found 13 provider-focused resources and 18 consumer-focused resources across Australian screening programs. Most LCS-specific resources (18 sets) were from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore.
Key ideas arising from the consultations (28 community; 35 health workforce) and co-design workshops (2 health workforce (n=41), 1 community (n=18)) were the need for: clear information about eligibility criteria, a pack-year smoking calculator, easy-to-read detail about the National Cancer Screening Register, examples of symptoms of lung cancer, clarity on referral pathways, a centralised website to host resources, videos of the screening process, guidance for ineligible participants, and managing conversations including smoking behaviours, and lung cancer stigma. Digital resources were generally preferred to paper resources.
Source: Adapted from Screening Conference 2025 Abstract Book
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LIVED EXPERIENCE: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Lachlan Thorpe has shared his experience of living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), highlighting the profound impact the condition had on his life and the difference medical technology has made to his recovery.
In an interview with the Australian Health Journal, Thorpe explained that his CRPS developed following an ankle injury sustained while playing rugby for Sydney University Rugby Club in late 2024. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation for the injury, he began experiencing severe pain, swelling and sensitivity despite there being no further orthopaedic damage.
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Pathology technology at a crossroads
The CEO of Pathology Technology Australia, Dean Whiting spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– Pathology Technology Australia’s key priorities in the coming years
– Current local capability in pathology technology compared to other countries
– How the health system supports change and adoption of pathology technology
– How pathology is perceived by the public and in government as well as how developments in pathology technology are followed and understood
– Observations in the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce ReportIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Significant funding announced for NSW biomedical researchers
The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) has announced a new $24 million investment in three outstanding Australian biomedical researchers through its prestigious Snow Fellowships.
These Fellows will tackle major global health challenges spanning autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, and genetic disease. Their work addresses conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations, including First Nations communities, while advancing precision medicine and translational care. Collectively, their research aims to deliver safer vaccines, better diagnostics, and more equitable genomic and neurological healthcare.
