New data shows breast screen rates for Indigenous women in the Grampians, at 53.3 per cent, are now higher than participation from all eligible people in the region (50.5 per cent) the past two years.

The result is also clearly higher than the screening rate for the state's eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (37.2 per cent). Grampians Indigenous women have also turned out in greater proportion than women statewide aged 50 to 74 with the Victorian average at 45.3 per cent for the past two-year cycle.

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative women's health nurse Sandy Anderson said strong and growing screening numbers were the result of years of work in building trust among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and health services.

Ms Anderson said even the seemingly simplest efforts could make a big difference, such as Indigenous designs on gowns for the region's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women to wear for a screening. Each gown's design has been ethically sourced and features design details in a garment label.

"One woman told me 'I just felt I was always wrapped in culture'," Ms Anderson said.

"We want women to feel welcome, recognised and valued compared to being uncertain of what will happen...Particularly when it comes to women who had not had breast screening before, breast screening staff were terrific on top of how we try and make women feel as comfortable as possible."

Ms Anderson said some barriers to screenings for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women stem from negative experiences in accessing mainstream healthcare and treatment.

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BreastScreen Victoria data shows long-identified underscreening of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women across the state and has a target to increase screening participation among this cohort by 10 per cent each two-year cycle.

Ms Anderson said BADAC and Ballarat Health Services, in which Grampians BreastScreen is based, had also been working for more than a decade to rebuild trust.

BADAC's women's health team runs a monthly group visit to Grampians BreastScreen in a bid to offer extra support and encouragement for women in their screening. Ms Anderson said some women built up the confidence to go on their own and are offered one of the Indigenous designed gowns.

Grampians' high Indigenous breast screen rates are also based on mobile screening services to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations Goolum Goolum in Horsham and Budja Budja in Halls Gap.

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