Funded by the 2022 Victory Ride to Cure Cancer
North Carolina (NC) has the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River. Many American Indians in NC smoke cigarettes, which can lead to lung cancer. Yet, we do not know much about the needs of NC American Indians related to tobacco use and lung cancer. Three NC cancer centers joined together in 2021 to learn more about how to help American Indians improve cancer outcomes. In this study, we will first explore how often American Indians use treatment to help them quit tobacco. We will also explore whether they have been screened for lung cancer and what cancer treatments they receive. Second, we will ask American Indian community members about quitting tobacco, lung cancer screening, and their healthcare. Finally, we will work with American Indian community members to modify a quit smoking program to make it more relevant to them. We will also work with them to modify materials that tell people about lung cancer screening. This information will help American Indians by helping them quit tobacco and detect lung cancer sooner, which will help improve the health of American Indians in NC.
