Exploring patient acceptability of Targeted Lung Health Check results
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Incidental Coronary Artery Calcium during Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC): Understanding Patient Perspectives to Determine Acceptability and Preferences For Presentation of Incidental Findings of Coronary Artery Disease
IRAS ID
319742
Contact name
Abbey Fletcher
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sunderland
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 17 days
Research summary
Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) is a national screening program to identify early stage lung cancer. However, it represents an opportunity to “make every contact count” to improve both cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) survival because TLHC scans also identify coronary calcium (CAC), the earliest sign a patient has CVD. Over 70% of patient attending TLHC have CAC, but 25% are not currently taking indicated statin treatment to reduce their cardiovascular risk. Showing patients that they have early CAD may provide a stronger ‘nudge’ to take preventative treatments than discussion of cardiovascular risk alone. We will conduct qualitative semi-structured interviews with patients and staff to understand how best to communicate incidental CAC results and provide support afterwards. This patient/public engagement activity (PPIE) will help inform the design of a novel clinical pathway to manage patients with incidental CAC and provide pilot data for an application for a national trial of this novel pathway versus standard care using statin adherence post TLHC as a primary outcome measure.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
23/NS/0068
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion