Lung cancer screening in Canada: 2021/2022
Referral and recruitment strategies
Each pilot referred and recruited participants using different methods. All six used self-referral and physician referral, while many used mass media, social media, program materials (i.e., posters, brochures) and word of mouth to recruit participants.
Referral strategies for lung screening pilots and studies in Canada
| Title | Self-referral | Physician referral | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC Lung Screen Trial/Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Extension Project/International Lung Screen Trial | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Research Study | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Pilot for People at High Risk and Ontario Lung Screening Program (OLSP) | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Pilot Study by the Centre universitaire de santé McGill (Quebec)* | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lung Cancer Screening Demonstration Project in Quebec^ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*This project is independent from the pilot being evaluated for implementation by the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux.
^Request from the MSSS to IUCPQ-UL to be the leader of the project and through the Quebec Pulmonary Cancer Network
Recruitment strategies for lung screening pilots and studies in Canada
| Title | Mass media | Social media | Physician recruitment | Public facing resources | Community events | Word of mouth | Labs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC Lung Screen Trial/Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Extension Project/International Lung Screen Trial | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Research Study | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Pilot for People at High Risk and Ontario Lung Screening Program (OLSP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Pilot Study by the Centre universitaire de santé McGill (Quebec)* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Lung Cancer Screening Demonstration Project in Quebec^ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*This project is independent from the pilot being evaluated for implementation by the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux.
^Request from the MSSS to IUCPQ-UL to be the leader of the project and through the Quebec Pulmonary Cancer Network
Strategies to recruit specific populations
| Title | First Nations, Inuit and Métis Recruitment | Recruitment for underscreened/high-risk populations |
|---|---|---|
| BC Lung Screen Trial/Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Extension Project/International Lung Screen Trial | ✓ Outreach to First Nation downtown health clinic |
✓ Use of Facebook to recruit in addition to direct referral from GPs |
| Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Research Study | ||
| Ontario Lung Cancer Screening Pilot for People at High Risk and Ontario Lung Screening Program (OLSP) | ✓ · Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads and Tobacco Wise Leads for relevant sites engage and recruit participants from rural and urban Indigenous communities. · Culturally safe materials (also translated) have been developed to support working with communities and providers. Medical travel benefits under Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) are available for those eligible. |
✓* |
| Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study | ✓ | |
| Pilot Study by the Centre universitaire de santé McGill (Quebec)^ | ✓ All under-screened populations are included in the study. Family physicians and healthcare providers in underscreened areas are recruited and encouraged to refer patients. |
|
| Lung Cancer Screening Demonstration Project in Quebec~ | ✓ All under-screened populations are included in the study. Family physicians and healthcare providers in underscreened areas are recruited and encouraged to refer patients. |
*For recruitment strategies for high risk populations, underserved populations and rural and remote populations, see the population outreach page.
^This project is independent from the pilot being evaluated for implementation by the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux.
~Request from the MSSS to IUCPQ-UL to be the leader of the project and through the Quebec Pulmonary Cancer Network