Table 3. Differences by Race, Ethnicity and Sex in Percent of Ever Smokers Eligible between Medicare and Risk Criteria.
| Sociodemographic Characteristics | Estimated number of persons eligible for screening based on risk cut-point* | Estimated percent of ever smokers eligible | Estimated change in percent of participants eligible based on risk cut-point relative to Medicare criteria**(95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whites | 6,050,000 | 26.1 | 0 (-2.9, 2.9) |
| Men | 3,650,000 | 27.6 | -0.7 (-4.7, 3.2) |
| Women | 2,400,000 | 24.1 | 0.9 (-2.7, 4.5) |
| Blacks | 830,000 | 27.7 | 8.8 (6.3, 11.3)† |
| Men | 480,000 | 30.0 | 12.4 (9.2,15.7)† |
| Women | 350,000 | 25.0 | 4.7 (0.3, 9.0)† |
| Hispanics | 130,000 | 6.1 | -10.1 (-13.4, -6.9)† |
| Men | 110,000 | 7.9 | -10.8 (-15.1, -6.5)† |
| Women | 20,000 | 2.6 | -8.9 (-13.2, -4.6)† |
Numbers are in units of 10,000 persons. 95% CI = 95% Confidence Interval.
† Significant at 95% confidence limit.
*cut-point = 2.12% six year risk
**Eligibility based on age (55–77), pack-years (30) and ever smokers. Eligibility is calculated on 2.12% six-year risk for lung cancer. This cut-point was derived by increasing the risk until the total number of persons eligible was comparable to eligible population based on age and pack years.