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Francesco Piccolo



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    P2.11 - Screening and Early Detection (ID 178)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track: Screening and Early Detection
    • Presentations: 1
    • Now Available
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/09/2019, 10:15 - 18:15, Exhibit Hall
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      P2.11-09 - Australia-Wide Cross-Sectional Survey of General Practitioners’ Knowledge and Practice of Lung Cancer Screening (Now Available) (ID 1767)

      10:15 - 18:15  |  Author(s): Francesco Piccolo

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background

      High quality randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that low dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening reduce lung cancer deaths in high risk individuals yet current Australian guidelines do not recommend nor fund screening. 1-3 Little is known about current screening practices in Australia.

      Method

      A survey was distributed to a nationally representative sample of 4 000 Australian general practitioners (GPs) registered with the commercial database of the Australasian Medical Publishing Company. The questionnaire included, respondent demographics, self-reported screening practices, knowledge of screening recommendations, recent screening education and potential factors influencing GPs’ screening practice. Two logistic regression models identified factors associated with self-reported chest X-ray (CXR) or LDCT screening within the last 12 months.

      Result

      A total of 323 General Practitioners attempted the survey (participation rate 8.1%); 21 were excluded as they did not report recent screening practice. Participants were mostly females (153/302, 50.6%), from collective/group practices (239/302, 79.1%) and metropolitan-based practices (222/302, 73.5%).

      Despite the majority of responders understanding that screening is not recommended by Australian professional societies (215/302, 71.2%) a substantial proportion of participants requested a CXR or LDCT screening (140/302, 46.4% and 63/302, 20.8% respectively).

      A variety of shared factors (GP reassurance, perceived cost-effectiveness of screening, believing screening is funded) and unique practice, educational and cognitive factors were associated with self-reported LDCT and CXR screening, with the strongest association being recent education about screening from radiology practices (aOR for LDCT screening 10.443, p<0.001, Table 1).

      ldct screening table.pngchest x ray table.png

      Conclusion

      In Australia, lung cancer screening is occurring outside a coordinated programme and there is discordance between reported screening practice and national recommendations due to a variety of factors. This highlights an urgent need for clearer guidance and direction from national and professional bodies.

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