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Project ENGAGE | Project CONNECT

Project ENGAGE: Training TTSs on use of a Patient Decision Aid on Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose computed tomography has the potential to save 12,000 lives in the United States each year, but a very low proportion of people who are eligible for screening receive it. Tobacco treatment specialists (TTSs) work with many people who use tobacco and who are eligible for lung cancer screening, but may not be aware of screening and may not have been engaged in assisting their clients in having a discussion with their healthcare provider about screening.

Project ENGAGE, draws from several key evidence-based learning platforms, including Project CONNECT decision aid,  to create an innovative new on-line training module for Tobacco treatment Specialists - Conversations that Save Lives: How Tobacco Treatment Specialists can Engage Clients in a Discussion about Lung Cancer Screening. This module educates TTSs on LCS and builds their skills on helping their clients make well-informed decisions about screening. A 10-person Advisory Group guided the development of this course and is comprised of a TTS client, scientists, professionals with expertise in training, and TTS stakeholder organizations. Collaborators include the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, CHEST, The Association for Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence, the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs, the North American Quitline Consortium, three TTS trainers and a client who was helped by TTSs.

Register to take the course today!
Cost: FREE
Time Commitment: Approximately 60 minutes
Intended Audience: Tobacco Treatment Specialists
Format: Asynchronous online; take the course at your own pace
Certificate: Certificate of completion provided
CE: This program is approved by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs to award 1 continuing education contact hour for tobacco treatment providers who successfully complete the program. This training is accredited for tobacco training specialist (TTS) only.

Help us share information about the new Project ENGAGE online course on your website, via communication channels, and social media accounts. The Media Kit is located here.

If you have any questions about Project ENGAGE, please contact us at naqc@naquitline.org.

This course was funded through a Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®) Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award (EADI-26839). The views, statements, opinions presented in this course are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of PCORI®.  

Project CONNECT was an implementation project that ran from December 1, 2019 through November 30, 2022. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) in partnership with the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC), quitline service providers, and quitline funders aimed to increase the awareness of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography among quitline participants. Lung cancer screening (LCS) can save over 12,000 lives annually in the U.S. and quitlines can play an important role in expanding knowledge and awareness of this intervention among quitline participants. NAQC estimates that nearly 200,000 people who enroll in quitline services annually are eligible for LCS. This project was made possible through funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Project CONNECT tested and further refined a patient decision aid about LCS for use by quitlines. Seven state quitlines participated in Project CONNECT to evaluate the reach and impact and document the resources needed to implement and maintain the patient decision aid and other educational materials about LCS.

Over the course of the project, quitline service providers tested multiple methods for disseminating educational materials (verbal referral, text, email, mail, web, and social media) to engage quitline participants in learning about LCS. Materials educated quitline participants about the risks and benefits of LCS to assist them in making a decision that aligns with their values and preferences, and encourage them to discuss LCS with their health care providers.

Based on the experiences of the states and service providers involved in Project CONNECT, an Implementation Guide for Quitlines was developed to help quitline funders and service providers learn what it takes to educate quitline participants about lung cancer screening.

Resources:

NAQC Webinars:
May 6, 2020: Improving Informed Decision-making about Lung Cancer Screening Among Quitline Callers .
November 19, 2021: A Role for Quitlines in Lung Cancer Screening: Update on Project CONNECT
June 8, 2022 WORKSHOP: Lung Cancer Screening Implementation Guide