Tobacco treatment specialists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about lung cancer screening: Potential piece of the puzzle for increasing lung cancer screening awareness

Tobacco quitline staffs' knowledge and attitudes about connecting quitline callers to lung cancer screening educational materials

“…Our findings are also consistent with a previous study that found that tobacco treatment specialists lack knowledge about LCS but feel that it is important for their callers 26 . However, the study's sample of tobacco treatment specialists worked mainly in clinical settings, while our study focused on quitline staff 27 . Given the acceptability of connecting quitline callers with educational materials about LCS, an important next step would be to further leverage ongoing efforts by tobacco quitline service providers by training quitline staff to deliver LCS education to callers.…”

“… 24 , 25 However, few studies have examined how LCS can be integrated into smoking cessation efforts by tobacco quitline service providers. 26 , 27 , 28 Promoting LCS through quitlines is a strategy that combines primary prevention (cigarette use cessation) with a proven secondary prevention strategy (screening with LDCT). Little is known about how quitline staff perceive connecting quitline callers with information about LCS.…”

“… 26 However, the study's sample of tobacco treatment specialists worked mainly in clinical settings, while our study focused on quitline staff. 27 Given the acceptability of connecting quitline callers with educational materials about LCS, an important next step would be to further leverage ongoing efforts by tobacco quitline service providers by training quitline staff to deliver LCS education to callers. Quitline staff can be trained to conduct shared decision‐making for LCS, in line with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) requirements, to ensure that callers are informed about the benefits and harms of LCS and have their preferences assessed prior before making a decision about screening.…”

“…Previous efforts, such as the Smoking Cessation at Lung Examination (SCALE) Collaboration, have focused on integrating smoking cessation treatment in LCS programs 24,25 . However, few studies have examined how LCS can be integrated into smoking cessation efforts by tobacco quitline service providers 26–28 . Promoting LCS through quitlines is a strategy that combines primary prevention (cigarette use cessation) with a proven secondary prevention strategy (screening with LDCT).…”