Lung cancer screening in Canada 2021/2022

Strategies to engage underserved populations in lung cancer screening

Four provinces have employed strategies to improve screening for various underserved populations. Most jurisdictions engage specific underserved populations in decision-making and informing strategies. Screening awareness campaigns and media posts are regularly used to engage underserved populations in screening.

Strategies to engage underserved populations in lung cancer screening*

P/T  Intended audiences Strategies used  Strategy co-developed with community?   Description 
BC · Racial or ethnic minorities · Participation in working groups
· Material focus testing
All: ✓ · Consulted during design and development.
ON · Underserved populations overall
· People without a primary care provider
· Non-English speakers
· Non-binary and gender diverse people
· Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) staff
Underscreened populations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
1. Individual education, cultural tailoring, printed materials, telephone communication
2. Self-referral for screening
3. Public-facing brochures and Participant Information Sheet available in multiple languages
4. Overarching Policy for the Screening of Trans People
5. Educational webinars
6. COVID-19 recovery
1. ✓
2. ✓
3. ✓
4. ✓
5.
6. ✓
· Pilot sites are responsible for local recruitment and have developed strategies to target people in local populations.
· OLSP sites accept self-referrals and will help attach individuals to a primary care provider.
· Brochures and Participant Information Sheet available in French, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Mohawk and Inuktitut; select website content is also available in French.
· Newly developed program resources will include principles from the policy such as gender-neutral  and inclusive language.
· Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) staff participated in webinars on better serving LGBTQ2S+ community in healthcare and cancer screening (i.e. access, eligibility).
Ontario’s Ministry of Health has provided Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) with support to develop additional strategies to support the COVID-19 recovery.
QC · Montreal ethnic population · Ad in Montreal newspapers
NS · Low-income
· People without a primary care provider
· Strategies not yet developed but will include direct outreach to organizations serving high-risk communities · Planned community engagement to develop strategies that meet the needs of identified underserved populations at high-risk.

*New Brunswick plans to leverage the recommendations from the ongoing project “Developing Strategies for Underscreened Populations through Community Engagement.”

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