A new lung cancer screening initiative has made significant strides in overcoming barriers to care for low-income, uninsured and minority populations in Central Texas—a critical step toward reducing disparities in lung cancer outcomes. The effort, led by Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and CommUnityCare Health Centers, implemented a patient-centered approach that includes bilingual support, mailed outreach, and no-cost screening to patients. "Federally Qualified Health Centers like CommUnityCare serve a higher-risk population, making them great places to offer cancer screening and help people quit smoking," said Brandon Altillo, M.
D., assistant professor of internal medicine and population health at Dell Med and a provider at CommUnityCare. "But there are still significant barriers, including the cost of screening and limited access to specialists.
Many patients also face stress from poverty, which can make it harder to focus on preventive care." Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the U.S.
, with more than 125,000 deaths expected in 2024. Black, low-income and less-educated populations are disproportionately affected, facing higher mortality rates. The program, detailed in an article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine , identified more than 700 eligible patients ages 55 to 77 with at least a 20-year history of smoking.
From 2020 to 2023, team members implemented a multicomponent intervention—an approach designed to promote.
