Women's health research by Te Tātai Hauora o Hine

At Te Tātai Hauora o Hine – National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa - our team has a proud tradition of research into health issues relevant to New Zealand women, particularly wāhine Māori. 

Research (see ‘The hidden burden of caregiving’) shows that increasingly women often find it hard to prioritize their own health, citing the care of others and work as barriers. So, it is more important than ever that when women access screening, care or seek advice, what they receive is gold standard quality care – and by that we mean timely, evidence-based, and culturally-safe.  

As part of Tend’s inaugural Women’s Health Week, we highlight two key aspects of our mahi to ensure quality care pathways to improve the health and wellbeing of wāhine in Aotearoa.

The elimination of cervical cancer

The new cervical screening programme started in Aotearoa in July 2023, which introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-test to prevent cervical cancer. Compared with cervical cytology (the ‘smear’ - involving a speculum examination by a trained provider), HPV-based screening is a more sensitive method for detecting cervical changes that may lead to cancer – it provides 60-70% greater protection, and you can do it yourself. 

It’s that good a screen, that a negative HPV test and no symptoms, means you do not need to be re-tested for five years. 

Our team have been investigating the acceptability and implementation of HPV self-testing for the prevention of cervical cancer, particularly for under-screened wāhine Māori, for many years. HPV self-testing is a game-changer:

1. It’s a better test. 
2. It’s more likely to be taken up (compared with the smear)
3. It’s empowering. 

More of that empowering health screening and care please Aotearoa! 

We know that it's not just time off-work that’s needed for screening, but having childcare arrangements in place, and/or easy access to screening and care services too. So last year the researchers went mobile, offering cervical screening with HPV self-testing on board a bus as part of a charity sheep shearing event held in the rural community of Moa Flat, Otago.

Cervical screening in rural Aotearoa: Preventing the preventable

Watch this short film published by The Spinoff, that highlights shearers, wool-handlers and whānau experiences in relation to cervical screening and cancer. (www.hpvselftest.nz)

You can make a difference

Perhaps you played a part in the national campaigns to see Aotearoa change to this better cervical screening test in 2023? If so, excellent and thank-you. Maybe you can be part of another? Spoiler alert (good spoiler), the elimination of cervical cancer in our lifetime is genuinely within reach! But more Government support is needed. Talk to your friends and whānau, ensure everyone knows!

With this better screen, early treatment of cervical cell changes, and increased HPV vaccination among school children, no one should die of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is now preventable.

Research as activism

We use research as activism. Research driven by wāhine toa, challenging inequitable systems, shining a light on system failings and barriers, and most importantly, introducing possible solutions. It’s women’s health research, to make a difference.

We pay our respects to all who have been impacted by cervical cancer.

Me aro kī te hā o Hine–ahu-one, pay heed to the dignity of women.