Barriers to lung cancer screening pathways
Overview
About the study
In South East London, cancer is the largest cause of premature death for people living with a serious mental illness, with lung cancer mortality found to be highest in this group locally. We would like to understand your experiences of being referred for lung cancer screening and where relevant, diagnostic or treatment pathways. This will help us to understand what needs to be done to address barriers and ensure early lung cancer diagnosis for people with serious mental illness. We hope that addressing the barriers will lead to improvements in treatment outcomes, quality of life and reduce cancer mortality for this population.
What will it involve?
You will be invited to either a virtual (via MS Teams) or in-person focus group session (with up to 5 other people in attendance, plus the facilitators). The focus group will run for approximately 90 minutes, where you will be invited to share your views regarding a range of questions related to the aims of this project. Your participation in this focus group will be confidential and anonymous. Refreshments will be provided at in-person sessions.
Who are we looking to recruit?
To take part you must:
- Be aged 18 or over.
- Have a diagnosed serious mental illness.
- Live in South East London (boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, or Southwark) AND at least one of the following must apply:
- You have been referred for lung cancer screening or have received a lung cancer diagnosis and been referred to a cancer treatment pathway
- You have seen your GP with lung difficulty symptoms that have not gone away after a few weeks, such as a persistent cough, shortness of breath, or repeated chest infections
- You have been invited to the NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme (previously called Targeted Lung Health Check screening)
Are you interested in taking part in this research?
Find out more by filling in this form.
Find out more by filling in this form.
Planned end date
27 Feb 2026 11:19Conditions
Bipolar DisorderInclusion Criteria
Service user inclusion criteria for participation in interviews is as follows:
— A diagnosed serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis)
— A history of smoking or a current smoker or exposure to people who smoke
— Experience of symptomatic presentation to the GP, or being identified as eligible for the Targeted Lung Cancer Check Programme
— Experience of being referred for lung cancer screening in Southeast London
— Over the age of 18 and able to give informed consent
Staff inclusion criteria is as follows:
— Experience of supporting people with a diagnosed SMI in a clinical setting in either Lambeth or Greenwich boroughs in Southeast London
— Experience of supporting people with SMI who have a history of smoking, and problems relating to their smoking history
— Experience of referring people with SMI to lung cancer screening pathways and coordinating follow up appointments relating to the referral
— Over the age of 18 and able to give informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
Service user exclusion criteria is as follows:
— Currently accessing or have accessed within the last 12 months treatment for lung cancer symptoms within South East London
— Not over the age of 18
— Not able to give informed consent
Staff exclusion criteria is as follows:
— Not over the age of 18
— Not able to give informed consent