Introduction:
Participation in lung cancer screening (LCS) is a favorable 'teachable moment' to promote smoking cessation (SC). This Italian pilot study provides low-dose computed tomography in combination with brief advice, followed by referral to SC center (SCC).

Objective:
The aim was to assess participants' psychological characteristics related to SC and health behaviors.

Material and Methods:
LCS participants completed two questionnaires to assess the stage of change according to the transtheoretical model, and time perspective, a predictor of individual behavior.

Results:
Out of 290 participants in the Florence area, 263 (90.7%) were smokers (52.1% females; mean age: 63.4 years; 46.8 pack-years) and 27 (9.3%) were ex-smokers (33.3% females; mean age: 63.8 years; 50.9 pack-years). 143 (54.4%) smokers were referred to the SCC. 140 smokers completed the questionnaires and 7.9% were in precontemplation, 34.3% in contemplation, 12.1% in preparation, and 2.1% in the action stage of change. 6.4% of the smokers were simultaneously in precontemplation and contemplation while 5.7% were simultaneously in precontemplation and preparation. Moreover, smokers compared to the Italian population, tend to be less fatalistic (mean score: 15.0; range: 15.6-22.9) and nearly more hedonistic (mean score: 21.7; range: 14.5-22.7). Future orientation was consistent with the Italian population (mean score: 31.7; range: 25.9-35.7).

Conclusions:
These preliminary results confirm that LCS can be a teachable moment to think about SC and that a negative correlation exists between a fatalistic attitude and health behaviors. Indeed, all smokers who completed the questionnaires joined the LCS program, about 50% were considering changing their smoking status and more than 50% were referred to SCC. Furthermore, a hedonistic attitude at the upper limits of the norm emerges, indicative of a tendency to be self-indulgent pleasure-seekers.