The Directorate of Health has published quality indicators for cancer screening for 2025. They show that participation among women in cervical cancer screening was 70 percent. Participation increased by six percentage points year over year and has risen steadily in recent years.

Women aged 23 to 64 regularly receive invitations for cervical cancer screening. The screenings take place at health centers throughout the country.

Participation in breast cancer screening was 65 percent last year and increased by four percentage points compared with the previous year. Participation in breast screening has risen rapidly in recent years.

Women aged 40 to 74 regularly receive invitations for breast cancer screening. Screenings take place at the Breast Center of Landspítali, at Akureyri Hospital and in a mobile screening unit that regularly travels around the country.

Approaching the target

The Cancer Screening Coordination Center at Heilsugæsla höfuðborgarsvæðisins oversees cancer screening nationwide. The center’s goal is to achieve a minimum participation rate of 75 percent. With the increased participation last year, that goal is now within reach.

“It is extremely positive to see this substantial increase in participation in cancer screening over the past year,” says Ágúst Ingi Ágústsson, chief physician at the Cancer Screening Coordination Center. “We are steadily moving upward. Many people have contributed to this progress, as it has required collaboration and a coordinated effort among the many individuals involved in organizing and promoting these screenings in recent years.”

Most plan to attend

Surveys show that the vast majority of women who receive an invitation to screening intend to attend, although some postpone their appointment for various reasons.

“It is extremely important that women attend cancer screening when they receive an invitation. Screening reduces disease burden and deaths caused by cancer. All projections indicate that cancer will become increasingly common in the coming years. That makes it more important than ever to attend screening,” says Ágúst Ingi.

Good accessibility is key when it comes to screening. All information about cancer screening is easy to find on the website skimanir.is. It is simple to book an appointment when an invitation is received. Appointments for cervical screening are booked through Heilsuvera. Appointments for breast screening can be booked at brjostaskimun.is.

Women from other nationalities participate less often

There is a significant difference in participation in cancer screening by citizenship. Participation among Icelandic women in cervical cancer screening was about 81 percent last year, while participation among women of other nationalities was 34 percent. Similarly, about 71 percent of Icelandic women participated in breast screening, compared with 25 percent from other nationalities.

“If we look at the participation rates of Icelandic women in screening, we see that we have achieved our goal of 75 percent participation in cervical cancer screening and are actually well above that target. We are also moving closer to achieving the target for breast screening,” says Ágúst Ingi.

Services adapted

“The participation rate among women of other nationalities is increasing, but we still see that there is significant work to be done to increase participation in screening,” says Ágúst Ingi. He points out that some women undergo screening in their home countries. If they do not, it is important to inform them about screening options in Iceland and specifically encourage them to participate here.

In addition to directing advertisements and informational materials toward women of other nationalities, efforts have been made to adapt services to their needs. For example, offering open cervical screening appointments at health centers has proven successful. Women who have received an invitation can attend a health center that suits them without booking an appointment, in some cases outside regular working hours. Information about these open sessions is available on the website skimanir.is.

Women encouraging women to attend

“Although it is encouraging to see that participation in screening is increasing, we cannot become complacent. We must continue to encourage women to attend screening and to talk with friends, mothers, daughters, and relatives and remind them about screening. It would also be a great idea to talk with foreign friends or colleagues and encourage them to attend,” says Ágúst Ingi.

The Directorate of Health’s quality indicators are available on the Directorate’s website.