Connect, Create and Unite: Lung Health Equity Workshop

Taking a Multidisciplinary Approach to Improving Lung Health Equity

On the 11^th of June, around 35 people gathered in Manchester’s Central Methodist Hall to take part in a workshop about lung health equity. Attendees came from a wide range of backgrounds, career stages and disciplines but all sharing a commitment to improving equitable access to lung health services and outcomes.

The key goal of the workshop was to connect various stakeholders involved in lung cancer detection and treatment research to foster new interdisciplinary networks. The event also provided a platform to discuss the barriers to delivering equitable lung health services and generate collaborative ideas for overcoming them.

What Is Health Equity

Health is a fundamental human right, yet not everybody has the same access to health care. Certain populations face systemic barriers due to factors like race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status or geographic location.

Health equity means everyone has a fair opportunity to access healthcare. In an equitable world, those facing barriers to accessing healthcare are given appropriate support and adjustments to allow them the same access to resources as someone without those barriers.

Crucially, health inequalities are avoidable. Improving equity requires collaboration across different sectors of the healthcare system and, importantly, listening to the lived experiences of those who face obstacles to access.

Learning Disabilities and Lung Health

One of the key themes discussed at the workshop was the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities in accessing lung health services. According to learning disability charity Mencap, men with a learning difficulty die 19 years earlier and women die 23 years earlier than the general population. They also have significantly lower rates of screening uptake.

Just as a letter may be translated for someone whose first language is not English, we must consider how to communicate effectively with people with learning disabilities, so they are empowered to attend screenings and appointments.

Another issue raised was the frequent exclusion of people with learning disabilities from clinical trials, often due to challenges around providing informed consent. The consent process involves understanding complex information about the study’s purpose, risks and procedures. If a patient does not have the capacity to consent, they will be excluded from the trial, meaning trial results don’t represent this population and they miss out on the potential benefits of experimental treatments.

At the workshop, it was suggested that, to overcome this challenge, consent procedures should be modified: for example, by using easy-to-read and jargon-free reading materials, visual aids, videos and verbal explanations.

Non-Smoking Lung Cancer

Dr Sally Taylor, senior research fellow in the Christie Patient Centred Research team, gave a short talk on lung cancer in non-smokers.

While smoking remains the primary cause of lung cancer, around 14% of cases occur in people who have never smoked, and this percentage is set to rise as smoking rates continue to decline. Dr Taylor highlighted how non-smokers, especially younger individuals, often face a long and complicated journey to diagnosis as their symptoms may be dismissed or misattributed due to the assumption that only smokers get lung cancer. This can result in late diagnosis and worse outcomes for the patient.

More awareness of non-smoking lung cancer is therefore needed among healthcare professionals, but also the public. In addition, more research is needed to further delineate the cause of non-smoking lung cancer and identify those most at risk.

Sally and her team are currently recruiting for the ROUTE study and are looking to recruit people who currently smoke to take part in a short interview. You can find out more here.

In a later stage of the project, they will be recruiting healthcare professionals working in primary care. For more information, please contact sally.taylor38@nhs.net.

Physical Disabilities and Healthcare Experiences

There were also discussions about the challenges individuals with physical disabilities face when interacting with healthcare services.

Workshop attendees shared personal experiences, highlighting how appointments and screenings can become uncomfortable when healthcare professionals appear unsure about how to interact with or treat disabled patients. This uncertainty can leave patients feeling responsible for putting the clinician at ease.

Simple measures, such as ensuring that healthcare professionals thoroughly review patient notes and prepare accordingly, could significantly enhance the patient experience and encourage greater participation in screenings and other health services.

Creative Conversations: Clay and Ceramics

An informal breakout session, where attendees had the opportunity to paint ceramics or try their hand at making a clay creation, fostered a relaxed atmosphere and facilitated open discussions about lung health equity. The truly interdisciplinary groups allowed clinicians, psychologists, researchers and patient advocates to share insights and differing perspectives – both professional and personal.

Final Thoughts

The Lung Health Equity Workshop successfully brought together a diverse group of professionals and advocates to connect and collaborate on the future of lung healthcare, laying the groundwork for driving positive changes to lung health equity in Manchester and beyond.

To learn more about lung health equity, please contact Lorna McWilliams.

This project was funded/supported by the University of Manchester’s Healthier Futures research platform and research staff collaboration fund.

Photography by Adam Hindmarch, Visual Minutes by Tom Bailey and ceramics class by Frank’s Studio.