Lay summary
There is strong evidence that abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening will be a cost-effective intervention to reduce AAA mortality in New Zealand. A programme was agreed in principle by the National Screening Advisory Committee in 2016 but has not been implemented. Delays in AAA screening disadvantage Māori and socioeconomically deprived communities who suffer higher AAA mortality rates.
The reasons for the delays in AAA screening implementation are complex, however, are likely rooted in fragmented research groups across New Zealand lacking coordination around appropriate screening methodology. This makes it difficult to present a cohesive business case for screening across the country.
This project aims to provide a platform for collaborative research between currently dissociated groups to identify, clarify, and prioritise research questions around screening methodology at the national level.