New research indicates social media campaigns can significantly expand access to lung cancer screening information. Targeted Facebook advertising reached over one million eligible adults in the United States, connecting many with digital screening education tools.
Despite evidence showing lung cancer screening reduces mortality by detecting cancer early, participation remains low. Many eligible individuals are unaware screening exists or don't regularly interact with healthcare systems.
The INSPIRE Lung Study evaluated five Facebook ad campaigns over 79 days, targeting adults aged 50-80 with interests in smoking or cessation. Advertisements directed users to a study website for screening information and eligibility screening.
The campaign reached 1,048,191 unique users, generating over 3.1 million impressions. A 2.37% click-through rate led to 7,117 people completing an eligibility screener. Among those screened, 17.9% met lung screening criteria, with 483 participants enrolling in the trial-a 38% participation rate among eligible users.
The digital strategy proved cost-efficient, with a cost per click of $0.40 and a cost per enrolled participant of $19.46. The campaign also reached a demographically diverse population, including individuals with limited traditional healthcare contact.
These findings suggest social media advertising offers a scalable approach to raising lung cancer screening awareness at a population level. Future work will explore integrating educational interventions directly within social media platforms to further boost screening uptake and improve outcomes.