Background: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans have reported a significant reduction in lung cancer mortality among high-risk patients. However, there are low adherence rates to annual LDCT screenings among patients who initially screen negative. This descriptive study seeks to understand the factors that influence adherence to annual screenings. Methods: A survey was conducted among patients with initial negative LDCT screenings from 2016-2019 at Temple University Hospital. Patients were between ages 55-80, have at least 30 pack-year smoking history, who are current smokers or quit within the past 15 years. Surveys assessed participants’ health literacy, beliefs, psychosocial factors, patient-provider relationship, and knowledge of lung cancer screenings. The outcome measure is adherence to LDCT, which is defined as following up with 15 months after initial screenings. These attributes were measured on various-point Likert scales. The Fagerstrom test was used to measure cigarette dependence and International Physical Activities Questionnaire was used to measure physical activity. Results: Bivariable analysis results indicate lung cancer screening knowledge varied across racial groups. Caucasians had the highest score of lung cancer knowledge followed by African Americans. Lung cancer screening knowledge also varied among education attainment levels. Those who graduated high school or have higher education had higher scores of lung cancer screening knowledge compared to those who did not graduate high school. Results also showed that participants who were cigarette dependent had a higher perceived risk of lung cancer. Overall, participants demonstrated a strong patient-provider relationship with an average score of 4.49 out of 5. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that factors such as low lung cancer screening knowledge, race, low perceived risk, and cigarette dependence may be factors that influence nonadherence to annual screenings. Furthermore, findings suggest that strong patient-provider relationship and shared decision making models may be the key to increasing annual adherence rates.

Citation Format: Cherie P. Erkmen, Mark Lee, Lin Zhu, Ra'Ann Merceir, Timmy R. Lin, Freda Patterson. Examining factors of adherence to low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screenings among high-risk patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-264.