Lisa Carter-Harris

The decision to screen for lung cancer is difficult. Lung cancer screening can reduce lung cancer mortality in high-risk populations. Still, there are potential harms associated with lung cancer screening that includes false-positive results, over-diagnosis, radiation exposure, and incidental findings. The decision to screen for lung cancer is best made in the context of shared decision making, where clinicians and patients weigh the benefits and risks of screening and make informed decisions together. This critical patient-clinician communication is challenged by low levels of awareness about lung cancer screening among high-risk populations.

Dr. Lisa Carter-Harris and her team have developed LungTalk, a computer-tailored decision support tool, to help prepare high-risk patients to engage in a discussion about lung health and screening with their clinician, make a decision about lung cancer screening, and intervene with current smokers to consider cessation.

LungTalk is unique in that content is tailored by smoking status, and includes key information in the form of a tailored print-out to help the patient initiate this important conversation with their clinician. LungTalk also includes a cognitive embodiment game meant to increase negative perceptions toward cigarettes and smoking to promote cessation.

Dr. Carter-Harris’ work to improve patient-clinician communication and shared decision-making in the complex decision of lung cancer screening is another example of how IUPUI faculty are TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.