Description
The purpose of the social auditing is to diagnose why the existing national programmes for cancer prevention are ineffective, and based on the diagnosis to propose a new strategy for social communication and tools of such communication. Under the project, we plan to analyse practices used in the medical centres throughout Poland where the incidence of women reporting for preventive medical examinations is the highest and the lowest, and to prepare recommendations for the ministry of health that should lead to enhanced effectiveness of screening programmes for cervix cancer and breast cancer. The project will highlight the best practices used in Poland and abroad (thanks to cooperation with the Icelandic Cancer Society). The strategy for social communication will be presented as a part of the new National Programme to Combat Cancer. The innovative aspect of the project is that it takes into account the needs and the expectations of women patients in planning communication activities.
Summary of project results
Since 2006, under the National Programme to Fight Cancer Diseases (NPZCHN), programs to prevent breast and cervix cancers have been implemented. But their impact on incidence of and mortality from the cancers, as well as on the numbers of survivals, is not significant. The aim of the social auditing was to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs after 10 years of implementation of NPZCHN and to develop conclusions and recommendations for necessary changes in implementation of the programs in the next 10 years. During the auditing activities, meetings with representatives of 20 public institutions deciding on the cancer prevention methods, experts and MPs were held. 33 deepened interviews were conducted among stake-holders and experts on the implementation of the National Programme for Preventing and Early Diagnosing Cancer, as well as questionnaire surveys among 1051 women (including 150 from single mother homes) and 50 deepened phone interviews. Each of the three stages of the auditing were summed up in a report, and the whole work was presented in the final report containing the main conclusions from the analyses and surveys led, the diagnosis of the problem of low reporting and ineffectiveness of screening programs, and recommendations for the ministry of health that can improve the effectiveness of screenings in the next 10 year of implementation. The recommendations concerned both professional and organisational, managerial, administrative, financial and communication aspects of the programs. A conference to sum up the project was also organised where the results of the auditing were presented to over 60 participants, including representatives of institutions that are crucial for cancer prevention: MZ, NFZ, COK, NIK, PZH, media and patient organisations. The report was publicised in media where it was cited 290 times. The project will benefit women reporting for preventive screenings for breast and cervix cancers who will be helped by better implementation of the programmes. The cooperation with Icelandic and domestic partners had a professional nature and consisted mainly in supplying materials for the report, participation in meetings with decision-makers, and joint presentation of the results of the auditing during the conference.
Summary of bilateral results
"Cooperation with the Icelandic Cancer Society was very good throughout the duration of the project. We worked closely with ICSon much more issues than covered by the project itself. The partnership proved to be a hit and will certainly be a relationship for years. We achieved significant substantive help from ICS. The Partner has sent us data on the effectiveness of prevention programs in Iceland and other Scandinavian countries, consulted conclusions and recommendations and developed a review of the audit report. ICS has provided advice in the proecess of developing the report and actively supported the Foundation during the presentation of the audit results during a conference and a panel discussion. We are just starting another project with Icelandic Cancer Society."