Tailoring Screening and Smoking Cessation for the LGBTQ community

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and disproportionate risk is faced in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) community due to higher smoker rates. Lung cancer screening (LCS) with annual low-dose chest CT has been demonstrated to reduce lung cancer mortality by up to 20% in a subset of high-risk smokers, a benefit that is doubled with sustained smoking cessation. Little is known about LCS in LGBTQ patients; however, in general, this population faces healthcare discrimination and other unique barriers to preventive care. This study will bridge this significant knowledge gap through partnership with an urban LGBTQ community center to tailor and evaluate a smoking cessation and LCS program for the LGBTQ community through a robust mixed-methods approach centered in community-based participatory research. In Aims 1 and 2, we will use a qualitative approach to engage the community and build a tailored cessation and screening navigation program, and in Aim 3 we will pilot the program in single-arm study, evaluating both effectiveness and the implementation outcomes of the program. Results from this study will assist with the development of a sustainable local LGBTQ LCS and smoking cessation program and will be used to inform a larger multicenter trial of the intervention.