Richmond 2020
Year: 2020
Title: Evaluating Potential Racial Inequities in Low-dose Computed Tomography Screening for Lung Cancer
Country: United States
Age: Adult Only
Sex: All Sexes
Population: Black
Care Setting: Outpatient Ambulatory and Primary Care
Clinical Setting: Lung Cancer Screening
Data Level: Single Institution
Data Type: EHR
Data Source: Local data
Conclusion: Disparities In All Minority Groups
Health OutComes Reported: No
Mitigation: No
Free Text Conclusion: Black patients less likely to get screened for lung cancer based on comparison to proportion of local at risk population
Abstract: Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US, and significant racial disparities exist in lung cancer outcomes. For example, Black men experience higher lung cancer incidence and mortality rates than their White counterparts. New screening recommendations for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) promote earlier detection of lung cancer in at-risk populations and can potentially help mitigate racial disparities in lung cancer mortality if administered equitably. Yet, little is known about the extent of racial differences in uptake of LDCT. Objective: To evaluate potential racial disparities in LDCT screening in a large community-based cancer center in central North Carolina. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of the initial patients undergoing LDCT in a community-based cancer center (n = 262). We used the Pearson chi-squared test to assess potential racial disparities in LDCT screening. Results: Study results suggest that Black patients may be less likely than White patients to receive LDCT screening when eligible (2 = 51.41, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Collaboration among healthcare providers, researchers, and decision makers is needed to promote LDCT equity.