Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project

Abstract Background In Alabama only 4% of those eligible have been screened for lung cancer. The ALCASE project focused on navigating eligible individuals to lung cancer screening. Methods Trained local staff enrolled screen eligible individuals from seven rural counties and one urban county. Demogr...

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Main Authors: Soumya J. Niranjan, Meghan Tipre, Claudia M. Hardy, Tara Bowman, Monica L. Baskin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-10-01
Series:Cancer Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70213
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author Soumya J. Niranjan
Meghan Tipre
Claudia M. Hardy
Tara Bowman
Monica L. Baskin
author_facet Soumya J. Niranjan
Meghan Tipre
Claudia M. Hardy
Tara Bowman
Monica L. Baskin
author_sort Soumya J. Niranjan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In Alabama only 4% of those eligible have been screened for lung cancer. The ALCASE project focused on navigating eligible individuals to lung cancer screening. Methods Trained local staff enrolled screen eligible individuals from seven rural counties and one urban county. Demographics and knowledge of and barriers to lung cancer screening were collected using questionnaires. Education was provided and individuals were navigated to undergo screening. Descriptive statistics for enrolled and screened participants were computed using SAS 9.4. Debriefing interviews were conducted with the ALCASE staff regarding facilitators/barriers to implementing this project and lessons learned. Using NVivo, themes were identified through a combined deductive and inductive process. Results In total, 447 people were contacted of which 257 were enrolled. Participants were predominantly African American (86.8%), female (56.8%), and 86.4% had health insurance. Study participants acknowledged the need for more education of lung cancer/screening procedures; help navigating clinics for screening services and having healthcare facilities close to home. The top five barriers to getting screened were transportation, financial issues, emotional concerns, healthcare insurance, and COVID‐19. Of the 257, 106 participants (41%) completed a primary care referral and were screened for lung cancer. Debriefing interviews revealed: (i) Overall impressions of implementing ALCASE were positive. (ii) Barriers in implementing ALCASE were identified predominantly at the physician and institutional level. (iii) Facilitators in implementing ALCASE were identified at multiple levels. (iv) Suggestions on improving lung cancer screening leaned toward mitigating barriers at the institutional and structural level. Conclusion Ability to get screened is severely challenged by both personal and structural barriers.
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spelling doaj-art-2cb1248ba1554a248a26e4402295eb8e2025-08-20T03:07:58ZengWileyCancer Medicine2045-76342024-10-011319n/an/a10.1002/cam4.70213Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) projectSoumya J. Niranjan0Meghan Tipre1Claudia M. Hardy2Tara Bowman3Monica L. Baskin4Department of Health Services Administration, School of Health Professions University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADivision of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Hematology/Oncology O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USAO'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADivision of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USAAbstract Background In Alabama only 4% of those eligible have been screened for lung cancer. The ALCASE project focused on navigating eligible individuals to lung cancer screening. Methods Trained local staff enrolled screen eligible individuals from seven rural counties and one urban county. Demographics and knowledge of and barriers to lung cancer screening were collected using questionnaires. Education was provided and individuals were navigated to undergo screening. Descriptive statistics for enrolled and screened participants were computed using SAS 9.4. Debriefing interviews were conducted with the ALCASE staff regarding facilitators/barriers to implementing this project and lessons learned. Using NVivo, themes were identified through a combined deductive and inductive process. Results In total, 447 people were contacted of which 257 were enrolled. Participants were predominantly African American (86.8%), female (56.8%), and 86.4% had health insurance. Study participants acknowledged the need for more education of lung cancer/screening procedures; help navigating clinics for screening services and having healthcare facilities close to home. The top five barriers to getting screened were transportation, financial issues, emotional concerns, healthcare insurance, and COVID‐19. Of the 257, 106 participants (41%) completed a primary care referral and were screened for lung cancer. Debriefing interviews revealed: (i) Overall impressions of implementing ALCASE were positive. (ii) Barriers in implementing ALCASE were identified predominantly at the physician and institutional level. (iii) Facilitators in implementing ALCASE were identified at multiple levels. (iv) Suggestions on improving lung cancer screening leaned toward mitigating barriers at the institutional and structural level. Conclusion Ability to get screened is severely challenged by both personal and structural barriers.https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70213Community Health AdvisorsEquitable cancer screeningLung cancer screening
spellingShingle Soumya J. Niranjan
Meghan Tipre
Claudia M. Hardy
Tara Bowman
Monica L. Baskin
Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
Cancer Medicine
Community Health Advisors
Equitable cancer screening
Lung cancer screening
title Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
title_full Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
title_fullStr Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
title_full_unstemmed Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
title_short Empowering minoritized Alabamians screened for lung cancer—The Alabama Lung Cancer Awareness Screening and Education (ALCASE) project
title_sort empowering minoritized alabamians screened for lung cancer the alabama lung cancer awareness screening and education alcase project
topic Community Health Advisors
Equitable cancer screening
Lung cancer screening
url https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70213
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