Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening Programme (with translations)

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the abdominal aorta, which is the main artery that supplies blood to your body. As the AAA grows, the wall of the aorta stretches and becomes weaker, which can eventually lead to a significant risk of a burst AAA. This is often fatal. The aim of the AAA screening programme is to reduce AAA-related mortality by providing a systematic, population-based screening programme.

The invite leaflet is for all men invited to take part in the screening programme. Men will automatically be invited for screening in their 65th year, while men aged over 65 can request a scan through the central screening office.

It provides men with all the information they need about AAA screening prior to their appointment, including:

• the rationale behind the screening programme;
• details on the screening process;
• the different possible results from screening;
• what happens if you are diagnosed with an AAA;
• the risks associated with AAAs.

The small, medium and large AAA information leaflets are for men who have been diagnosed with an AAA through the screening programme and provide details of what happens next.

The flyer was produced to help maximise awareness of the screening programme and provides a summary of AAAs, the dangers they pose and the screening process. They are distributed to eligible men through the following channels, among others: public events (eg men’s groups), Farm Families Health Checks programme; health information stands in shopping centres  etc; GP practices; pharmacies.

The poster and cards support also support the programme.

An FAQs document is also available here.

Translations and large print accessible Word versions of the leaflets are available below.