Terminate lung cancer (TLC) study-A mixed-methods population approach to increase lung cancer screening awareness and low-dose computed tomography in Eastern Kentucky

•Lung cancer screening information was developed and disseminated to a high-risk rural population using community-engaged methods.•Statistical process control analyses showed increased low dose computed tomography in intervention regions as compared to a control region.•Campaign exposure triggered thoughts about smoking cessation, showing usefulness of screening initiatives for cessation counseling.•This study provides preliminary evidence that implementing population approaches may be a viable method to disseminate new guidelines.

For low dose CT lung cancer screening to be effective in curbing disease mortality, efforts are needed to overcome barriers to awareness and facilitate uptake of the current evidence-based screening guidelines. A sequential mixed-methods approach was employed to design a screening campaign utilizing messages developed from community focus groups, followed by implementation of the outreach campaign intervention in two high-risk Kentucky regions. This study reports on rates of awareness and screening in intervention regions, as compared to a control region.