Abstract B044: Assessing Native Americans’ readiness for lung cancer screening and smoking cessation
Authors: Dang Julie , Sandoval Mayra , Cooke David , Nuno Miriam , Martin Carla , Simmons Bobbi Jo , Martens Teresa , Tong Elisa , Chen Moon S. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Among all U.S. racial/ethnic populations, Native Americans (American Indians) experience the highest rates of commercial tobacco use and lung cancer incidence and mortality. The goal of the Native American Commercial Tobacco and lung cancer screening InterventiON Study (NACTIONS) is to address these disparities by measurably increasing lung cancer screening (LCS) in the context of smoking cessation. Building off a history of collaborations, the University of California, Davis (UCD) reached out to two Native-serving Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in its catchment area to co-design means to improve lung health among their Native patients. Methods: In recognition of the extra time and effort involved, the UCD offered modest funding to these two FQHCs in inland northern California as well as gift cards for providers in sharing their practices in offering smoking cessation and LCS as well as interviews with their Native patients. Eligibility criteria for LCS were based on the 2021 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations that specified age: 50-80 years old and smoking history of 20 pack years for current smokers or those who quit within the past 15 years. We interviewed 14 providers and two categories of Native patients: both who had completed LCS (n=9) and those who are eligible but had not yet been screened (n=8) to understand facilitators, barriers, and solutions. A Native leader provided us with a conceptual framework to understand Native resiliency in addressing addiction to guide our approach. We also convened monthly meetings to discuss observations and co-design next steps. Findings: Both FQHCs reported approximately 400 Native patients eligible for LCS, but the readiness levels for interventions to promote smoking cessation and LCS were not the same. Each FQHC is under-resourced and each FQHC’s electronic medical system was not originally formulated for research. However, IT directors were willing to increase their scope to document patients’ readiness for intervention and their smoking histories through the LCS process. Common to both FQHCs is the essentiality of earned trust with their patients; adapting each FQHC’s electronic health system for precisely identifying eligible patients and longitudinally following them; assessing their social determinants of health; and the need to provide lung health education for the entire community. For instance, the high prevalence of diabetes, substance abuse, homelessness, etc. must be considered and the need to have tribal, friends, and family support for lung health can be reinforced through community-wide health education and patient navigation. Conclusions: This needs assessment documented factors that will enhance efforts for promoting LCS and smoking cessation at two Native-serving FQHCs. Promoting lung health through smoking cessation and increased completions of LCS can be better achieved through collaboration, addressing both social and physiological determinants of health, and earned trust.

Citation Format: Julie Dang, Mayra Sandoval, David Cooke, Miriam Nuno, Carla Martin, Bobbi Jo Simmons, Teresa Martens, Elisa Tong, Moon S. Chen Jr. Assessing Native Americans’ readiness for lung cancer screening and smoking cessation [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 B044.