Spend Your Loo Time On Bowel Screening

Did you know that the average person 50 years or older spends about 35 minutes in the bathroom each day?

That’s 212 hours each year, and that is ample time to get your bowel screen done, according to the Cancer Council.

Australia’s bathroom habits are in the spotlight right now as the Cancer Council and Australian Government encourages Aussies aged between 50 and 74 to Get2it and take part in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) when they receive their free test kit in the mail.

Screening rates for Australia’s second biggest cancer killer currently sit at just 43.5 per cent, but a bowel screen could potentially save a life.

One fifth of Aussies said they spend their time in the bathroom maintaining good health which means that while they have great intentions, they’re not getting to bowel screening.

Thousands of potentially life-saving samples could be taken in the hours each Australian spends in the bathroom each two years.

Countless lives could be saved if eligible Aussies, especially those in their 50s gave up scrolling through social media while on the loo and used the free bowel test kits sent to them every two years.

A quarter of these Aussies use their mobile phones on the toilet; top reasons for phone use include scrolling social media, reading the news, texting and gaming.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Mark Butler MP said they were asking Australians aged 50 and over to make time to look after their health by doing their bowel test when it arrives in the mail.

“If we can get 60 percent of eligible Australians screening and keep it that way, we can save 84,000 lives by 2040.

“Screen time is a feature of modern life and we want screening time to come just as naturally, so why not use your next bathroom stop to complete the test, or add a reminder to your calendar.”

Research shows placing the bowel screening test kit in the bathroom straight away, as well as setting reminders on your phone, could increase screening rates.

People can set reminders at www.cancer.org.au/bowelscreening/reminder.

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• Health & Wellness