Understanding Patient Perspectives on Digital Smoking History Data Collection

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Lung cancer screening guidelines recommend low-dose CT scans for high-risk individuals based on age and smoking history.
• Inaccurate smoking history in electronic health records (EHR) hinders identification of eligible patients.
• Digital strategies for patient-generated health data (PGHD) offer a way to collect complete smoking histories directly from patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient perceptions and experiences with digital outreach for collecting smoking history data.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to using digital tools for lung cancer screening eligibility assessment.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with 20 patients who received a request to complete a digital smoking history survey.
• Rapid analytical methods were used to analyze interview data.

Main Results:

• Patients expressed varied preferences for updating smoking histories digitally, with some preferring clinician interaction.
• Key barriers included technologic challenges, the need for multiple data collection options, and mixed perceptions of the value of updated EHR smoking data.
• Four themes emerged: preference for clinician updates, technologic barriers, need for diverse collection methods, and varied value perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Addressing barriers to digital PGHD collection is crucial for optimizing patient reach and uptake.
• Strategies like patient education, overcoming technologic hurdles, and offering multiple data collection formats can enhance the use of PGHD for accurate smoking histories.
• Improving digital PGHD collection has significant implications for lung cancer screening eligibility and patient care.