The authors wrote, “Lung cancer remains a significant public health challenge in the United States, characterized by a high mortality rate. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) for individuals with extensive smoking history. The latest iteration recommends that smokers aged 50 to 80 with 20 or more pack-years, whether currently smoking or having quit within the last 15 years, undergo a low-dose CT scan (LDCT) for LCS.”
Dr. Zegarra and colleagues also noted that although the benefits associated with using LCS have been well established, several challenges, such as disparities in access to screening among lower socioeconomic status (SES) populations and underrepresented minority communities (URC), still existed.
For this population-based observational study in February 2024, researchers gathered data from an anonymous survey among patients who visited the outpatient pulmonary clinic at WHMC. The survey comprised specific demographic questions and four main sections, including Knowledge, Attitudes, Barriers, and Enablers about Lung Cancer and LCS. The questionnaire had demographic, Yes/No, and multiple-choice questions.
A total of 137 surveys were collected, and 28 surveys were not included due to incomplete data. The study included 109 patients, including 47 males (43.1%) and 62 females (56.9%).
With regard to age distribution, 52 (47.7%) patients were reported to be aged between 50 to 70 years, 31 patients (28.44%) were aged younger than 50 years, and 26 (23.85%) were aged older than >70 years. An estimated 45% of patients reported having a high school degree, 24.8% less than high school, 14.7% some college, 11% had a college degree, and 4.6% had a postgraduate education. The patient population comprised 56% active smokers and 44% former smokers.
Data revealed that 65 (59.63%) patients were not aware of LCS and 73 patients (66.97%) were uninformed of any LCS methods, despite 105 (96.33%) patients believing that early treatment is beneficial and 94 (86.24%) believing that LCS is critical. Additionally, 97 patients (88.99%) believed that lung cancer had an elevated mortality rate, but 64 (58.72%) were not aware of any risk factors.
Based on their findings, the authors concluded, “Our study demonstrates that in an ethnically diverse UMC with lower SES where LCS rates remain strikingly low, patients with a history of lung disease are aware that lung cancer has high mortality, and early treatment would be helpful. However, there appears to be a paucity of lung cancer awareness, with many patients unaware of any LCS screening methods despite thinking the screening is important. Factors contributing to the aforementioned may be English as a second language, education level, or access to healthcare.”
With regard to clinical implications, the authors noted that health literacy and education of UMC are imperative to increasing the use of LCS, and the findings accentuate gaps in the LCS screening algorithm that USPSTF attempted to highlight in its latest update.
The authors wrote, “Creating community awareness programs and outreach may increase the awareness and rates of LCS in UMC.”
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