Abstract A139: Patient and provider barriers and facilitators to lung cancer screening: I-STEP 2 Study
Authors: Ayala Amy , Muthukrishnan Meera , Beache Sydney , Silver Michelle , Harriss Courtney , Colditz Graham , James Aimee 
Published: September 2024

Purpose: While lung cancer is a leading cause of death in the U.S., annual lung cancer screening (LCS) rates remain low. After deployment of an implementation intervention to increase lung cancer screening (LCS) and referral, we used a qualitative approach to identify barriers and facilitators, and recommended supports to increase screening. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (n=66) and providers (n=59) across 15 BJC Consortium hospitals. Interview domains included perceptions and experiences with LCS referral and completion, barriers and facilitators to LCS, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these processes. Patients were eligible if they had been referred for LCS. Providers were eligible if they were involved in the LCS decision-making and referral process. Interviews were audio-recorded, de-identified, and transcribed. Deductive and inductive codes were developed separately for patients and providers. Coded data were analyzed to determine themes. Results: Patients cited transportation, uncertainty surrounding insurance coverage for screening, and the COVID-19 pandemic as barriers to accessing LCS. Due to the Medicare and Medicaid requirement of a documented shared decision-making visit prior to providing an LCS referral, providers cited time constraints during patient encounters as a barrier to delivering optimal LCS care. Both patients and providers reported low general awareness of LCS (compared to other preventive screening services) as a barrier to utilization. Patients described many facilitators to LCS including fears regarding cancer risk, knowledge of the benefits of early cancer detection in improving cancer outcomes, provider recommendations, ease of LCS process, and receiving educational materials about LCS. Providers also describe access to evidence-based outreach and education materials regarding LCS, and implementation of clinical decision support tools (e.g. pre-screening for LCS eligibility and insurance authorization, integration of EMR prompts centered around LCS and nodule surveillance) as facilitators for screening. Patients and providers highlighted the importance of LCS navigators in facilitating communication and reducing barriers to LCS and surveillance – specifically, patients found one-on-one support and education with navigators to be encouraging as they underwent LCS. Conclusion: While there are some key barriers related to lung cancer screening and follow-up, there are many facilitators to screening that can be leveraged to increase referrals and enable successful follow-up management after screening. Recommended additions to basic lung screening intervention materials include provider education on how lung cancer screening referral processes are unique in comparison to other screenings, how providers can foster patient understanding of lung nodules, and local support and resources to help patients navigate barriers to lung screening.

Citation Format: Amy Ayala, Meera Muthukrishnan, Sydney Beache, Michelle Silver, Courtney Harriss, Graham Colditz, Aimee James. Patient and provider barriers and facilitators to lung cancer screening: I-STEP 2 Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A139.