Assessing Social Determinants of Health to Increase Cancer Screening

A multilevel lung screening intervention that pairs Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) screening and referral with a tailored health communication and decision support tool for lung screening has the potential to significantly impact lung screening uptake among at-risk individuals in the community, particularly among those who face barriers related to SDoH. In addition, findings will advance the understanding of effective strategies for improving lung screening and prevention efforts in non-traditional settings, with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of lung cancer. As ways to support the realization of the public health benefit of lung cancer screening are considered, multiple strategies and venues to reach, and intervene, with screening-eligible is key.

The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a community-based lung screening educational tool paired with a social determinants of health (SDoH) screening assessment and referral process compared to a community-based lung cancer screening (LCS) educational tool alone as part of community outreach activities to improve (a) LCS rates (primary outcome); (b) intention to screen; and (c) individual-level potential drivers of LCS (health literacy, mistrust, stigma, fatalism, knowledge, health beliefs). It is hypothesized that providing SDoH screening and referral will result in higher levels of LCS, forward movement of intention to screen, and improved individual-level drivers of LCS.