Despite national guidelines and integrated care systems, lung cancer screening remains alarmingly low—especially among racial and ethnic minorities. A new study from Kaiser Permanente Northern California reveals that just 0.95% of eligible patients completed initial low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screening between 2015 and 2022. In 2022 alone, the rate dropped to 0.69% under updated screening criteria.
The disparities are stark. Non-Hispanic white patients had the highest screening completion rate at 4.79%, while Hispanic, Black, and Asian patients trailed at 3.79%, 3.89%, and 4.31%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that all non-white groups were significantly less likely to complete screening, even after adjusting for age and sex. Black patients had the lowest likelihood, with a hazard ratio of 0.64 compared to white patients.
Interestingly, neighborhood deprivation—often a strong predictor of health outcomes—was not significantly associated with screening rates. Instead, age and sex were stronger predictors, with men and those aged 61 to 70 more likely to be screened.
The findings suggest that systemic barriers within healthcare delivery—not just socioeconomic status—are contributing to racial disparities in lung cancer screening. The lack of improvement following the 2021 update to screening guidelines further underscores the need for targeted outreach and culturally responsive care.
Without intervention, these disparities may delay diagnoses and worsen outcomes for communities already burdened by health inequities.
See “Evaluating Lung Cancer Screening Disparities in an Integrated Healthcare System: Barriers and Opportunities” (July 7, 2025)
