Open AccessPopulation‐based cancer control: where is the greatest benefit from proven strategies to ‘Regain’ years of life lost prematurely?
Author(s) -
Ward Jeanette E.,
Young Jane M.,
Jilfs Paul
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1999.tb01314.x
Subject(s) - medicine , population , pediatrics , demography , environmental health , sociology
Objective: To apply a ‘health gain’ approach to population‐based cancer control. Method: We calculated the potential years of life otherwise lost prematurely which could be ‘regained’ through implementation of cancer control programs for which Level I or Level II evidence already exists for population outcomes. Results: More potential years of life lost (PYLLs) would be ‘regained’ by enforcing a ‘smoke‐free’ Australia than by any other possible scenario based on proven effectiveness. Even achievable scenarios for tobacco control (17% or 20% prevalence) would ‘regain’ more PYLL than either mammographic screening according to national policy or faecal occult blood testing (FOBT) of both men and women over 50 years for colorectal cancer. Conclusions: As few commentators remain optimistic that more money will be allocated to health, strategic thinking for health gain needs to re‐appraise resource allocation for population‐based cancer control in Australia. Implications: We recommend wider debate in response to our finding that, on the basis of best available evidence, the greatest potential for health gain lies less in cancer screening than fully funded tobacco control.