Lung cancer screening rates in the United States are very low- just 3.3% in 2010 and 3.9% in 2015. There is a critical need to develop and implement effective strategies to engage high-risk patients in a coordinated program of lung cancer screening, which includes shared-decision making. The investigators proposed to modify and expand a shared decision- counseling intervention previously developed in one primary care practice. The investigators measured lung cancer screening in our intervention group compared to a propensity-matched usual care cohort. The investigators compared patients recruited to patients who are not in order to identify potential sources of disparity in future work and the investigators developed a more intense smoking cessation component. Model interventions for shared-decision making in clinical practice are needed across a wide range of diseases and decisions.
Lung cancer screening rates are very low despite the fact that lung cancer screening could save many lives. People need to understand the risks and benefits to screening as well as their own beliefs about screening. This study builds an intervention in real world primary care that will help people make the right decision for them as well as help people to quit smoking. Interventions like this are needed to improve the screening rate and reduce death from lung cancer, which is the leading cancer killer.