Trial results for a study assessing social determinants of health (SDoH) to increase cancer screening in Lung Cancer patients were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-03-11, indicating that the SDoH intervention group had 5 participants undergo lung cancer screening compared to 1 participant in the community-based screening group.
Background
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, yet early detection through screening can significantly improve outcomes. However, many individuals, particularly those facing barriers related to social determinants of health, do not undergo recommended screening. These barriers can include lack of access to care, low health literacy, medical mistrust, and perceived stigma. Interventions that address these underlying social factors are crucial for improving screening uptake and reducing the overall burden of lung cancer, especially in community and non-traditional settings.
Trial design
This completed study, identified as Phase NA, enrolled 101 participants with Lung Cancer. The trial investigated a multilevel lung screening intervention that paired Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) screening and referral with a tailored health communication and decision support tool for lung screening. The study aimed to assess the potential impact of this approach on lung screening uptake among at-risk individuals. Participants were divided into two groups: a Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and a Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group.
Key results
The trial results provided measurements for lung cancer screening uptake, health literacy, medical mistrust, and perceived smoking-related stigma across both intervention groups:
- For Lung Cancer Screening Uptake, the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group had 1 participant, while the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group had 5 participants.
- For Health Literacy, the median score was 11 on a scale for both the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group. A subsequent measurement showed a median score of 10 for both the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group.
- For Medical Mistrust, the median score was 11 on a scale for both the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group. A subsequent measurement showed a median score of 10 for the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and a median score of 5 for the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group.
- For Perceived Smoking-Related Stigma, the median score was 20.5 on a scale for the Community-based Lung Cancer Screening (LungTalk) group and 21 for the Social Determinants of Health Screening (LungTalk + SDoH) group.
What this means
The posted results suggest that integrating Social Determinants of Health screening and referral into lung cancer screening programs can lead to increased screening uptake. The 5 participants who underwent screening in the SDoH intervention group, compared to 1 in the control group, indicate a positive impact of this multilevel approach. Furthermore, the notable reduction in the median medical mistrust score to 5 in the SDoH intervention group, compared to 10 in the control group, highlights the potential for such interventions to build trust within communities. These findings underscore the importance of addressing socioeconomic barriers to improve access to vital lung cancer screening and prevention efforts.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT06052449, titled "Assessing Social Determinants of Health to Increase Cancer Screening", were posted on 2026-03-11 on clinicaltrials.gov.