Methods
cancer, prostate cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer
RECRUITMENT, CANCER, WEST, NONMELANOMA SKIN CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER
This RCT was reviewed and approved by the institutional review boards of all participating sites, and all participants provided written or oral informed consent. The study protocol is included in We conducted an RCT using a parallel design with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Recruitment sites included VA Medical Centers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, West Haven, Connecticut, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We used the National VA Corporate Data Warehouse to identify veterans potentially eligible for LCS who had an upcoming appointment within 3 weeks. We used prescription data (varenicline tartrate or nicotine replacement therapy) or positive screen results for active smoking in primary care or dental clinic notes to identify potential participants. We then performed a focused electronic record review and telephone screening to further assess eligibility. Inclusion criteria were (1) age 55 to 80 years, (2) active smokers or those who quit smoking within the past 15 years, (3) history of at least 30 pack-years of smoking, and (4) an upcoming appointment in primary care within 3 weeks. Exclusion criteria were (1) a cancer diagnosis, except for nonmelanoma skin cancer or prostate cancer not requiring active treatment, and (2) a primary care clinician assessment of life expectancy less than 2 years.Participant race and ethnicity data were collected via self-report. Participants were given the option of identifying as 1 or more of the following categories: African American or Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. We collected these data to evaluate the generalizability of our findings and to conduct prespecified exploratory analyses among participants who identified as African American or Black.