Abstract
Anna Augustynowicz1, Aleksandra Czerw1,2, Mariola Borowska1, Adam Fronczak1 and Andrzej Deptała3
1Department of Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
2Department of Organization, Health Economics and Hospital Management, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
3Department of Cancer Prevention, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Correspondence to:
Anna Augustynowicz, email: aaugustynowicz@poczta.onet.pl
Keywords: health policy programmes; local government unit; breast caner; cervical cancer
Received: October 29, 2017 Accepted: February 03, 2018 Epub: February 16, 2018 Published: April 24, 2018
ABSTRACT
Background: In 2014 the standardised incidence rate for breast cancer in Poland reached 51.6/100,000, while the mortality rate reached 14.8/100,000. The incidence rate for breast cancer in the EU was 106.6/100,000, the mortality rate – 22.4/100,000. In 2014 the incidence rate for cervical cancer in Poland was 8.8/100,000, the mortality rate – 4.5/100,000. The incidence rate in the EU was 11.3/100,000 and the mortality rate – 3.7/100,000.
Objective: The aim of the paper was to establish the number of health policy programmes concerned with breast cancer and cervical cancer in women carried out in 2009–2014 by local government units, with specification of the type of programme, type of local government units that carried out the programmes and the costs of implementation of the programmes.
Methods: The study was based on a desk research. The analysis covered data included in annual reports submitted by voivodes to Minister of Health, concerning health policy programmes implemented by local government units in 2009–2014.
Results: The greatest number of programmes concerned with prevention of breast cancer and cervical cancer were implemented in municipalities, followed by counties and finally – self-governed voivodeships. The number of programmes concerned with primary prevention was three times smaller (656) than the number of programmes concerned with secondary prevention (2,229). The greatest number of primary prevention programmes were implemented in Dolnośląskie, Wielkopolskie and Mazowieckie Voivodeships, and the greatest number of secondary prevention programmes – in Wielkopolskie, Mazowieckie and Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeships.
Conclusion: It was found that the number of programmes implemented by particular local government units and the financial resources employed in the implementation of the programmes were different. It is probable that some of the initiatives of local government units related to secondary prevention coincide with the actions undertaken under the National Programme for Fighting Cancer. The entities that carry out breast cancer and cervical cancer prevention programmes need to coordinate their actions.