Lung cancer campaign

A number of resources were made to support the campaign including briefing sheets for health professionals and campaign materials for patients. Below are a few examples:

NHS trust briefing sheet

Pharmacists briefing sheet

Download an easy-read version of the campaign leaflet

The campaign was aimed at men and women from lower socioeconomic groups over the age of 50 and their key influencers, such as friends and family.

Statistics from the first national campaign showed that from May to July 2012, the age group with the largest percentage increase in number of patients presenting to their GP with a cough was for those aged 50 to 59 (up nearly 83% on the same time in 2011) [1].

References

1. Be Clear on Cancer national lung cancer  awareness campaign evaluation – impact on patients attending GP appointments. Produced by Mayden, February 2014 for NHS IQ

During the first national lung cancer campaign when TV adverts ran from May to July 2012, more patients were referred for a chest x-ray by a GP during the first month of the campaign (May), compared to the month before (April) – up 20%.

There was an 8% rise in GP- referred CT scans per working day in May 2012, compared with April 2012 [1].

References

1. NHS England. Diagnostic Imaging Dataset http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/

Results from previous lung cancer activities indicated that Be Clear on Cancer was changing levels of public awareness and behaviour as well as improving clinical outcomes.

There were some statistically significant initial findings following the first national lung campaign in 2012:

• There was an increase in unprompted public awareness of a persistent/prolonged cough (from 12% pre-campaign to 15%  post-campaign). When given a list of possible symptoms and asked how much of a  warning sign of lung cancer each was, a cough for 3 weeks or more was the symptom that saw the largest increase – up 15 percentage points (18% - 33%) [1]
• There was an increase of 32% in two-week-wait referrals for suspected lung cancer in the campaign months compared with the previous year, with the majority of additional referrals in the over 50s [2]
• More patients were referred for a chest X-ray by a GP during the first month of  the campaign compared to the month before– up 20% [3]
• Around 700 more people were diagnosed with lung cancer when compared with the same period in the previous year. Approximately 400 more people had their cancer diagnosed at an early stage and around 300 additional patients had surgery as a first treatment of diagnosed lung cancer [4].

References

1. TNS-BMRB report for the national lung cancer campaign 2012. Produced for Public Health England
2. National lung cancer awareness campaign: Analysis of urgent GP referrals. An analysis looking at the impact of the national lung cancer awareness campaign on the number of urgent GP referrals for suspected lung cancer. Produced by Trent Cancer Registry, July 2012
3. NHS England. Diagnostic Imaging Dataset http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-i...(link is external)
4. National Lung Cancer Audit. Data provided by HSCIC