Variations of health check attendance in later life: results from a British birth cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundOlder adults are advised to attend a number of preventive health checks to preserve health and identify risk factors for disease. Previous research has identified a number of health and social factors, labelled as predisposing, enabling and need factors, using Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Service Use, that are associated with health care utilisation. We aimed to assess associations between factors from childhood and adulthood, and health check attendance in later life in a British birth cohort study.MethodsFor 2370 study members from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), health check attendance was assessed at age 68. Study members were asked if they: attended blood pressure and cholesterol checks, had their eyes tested, received the influenza vaccine, attended colon cancer screening and dental checks. Health and social factors from childhood and adulthood were used in binomial regression models to test associations with health check attendance in men and women.ResultsHealth check attendance was high; 41% reported attending all six health checks within the recommended time frame. In multivariable models, being a non-smoker and having more health conditions in adulthood were associated with greater health check attendance in men and women. In women, childhood socioeconomic advantage, being more physically active in midlife and previously attending screening procedures, and in men, greater self-organisation in adolescence and being married were associated with attending more health checks in later life, following adjustments for childhood and adulthood factors.ConclusionsA number of predisposing, enabling and need factors from childhood and adulthood were found to be associated with health check attendance at age 68, demonstrating the relevance of applying a life course perspective to Andersen’s model in investigating health check attendance in later life. Health related factors were found to be stronger correlates of health check attendance than socioeconomic factors.

Educational inequalities in statin treatment for preventing cardiovascular disease: cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank

“…Additionally one study included in this systematic review identified a trend towards lower uptake in smokers; an important risk factor for CVD that is also socially patterned (49, 50). Similar findings were also reported by Wilson and colleagues (51). These reasons for non-uptake of health checks, in combination with the inequalities identified in this study, indicate that methods to improve engagement with NHS health checks and preventative screening methods may reduce inequalities in cardiovascular outcomes.…”

Does financial literacy influence preventive health check-up behavior in Japan? a cross-sectional study

“…and gambling addiction, only smoking had a significant impact on health checkup behavior in Japan. Smoking reduces the chance of accessing health checks, which corresponds with the findings of previous studies [ 8 , 58 , 59 ]. This is because participating in risky behaviors that individuals know are harmful, makes them reluctant to have check-ups.…”

“…This finding was consistent with Korkeila et al [ 57 ], who showed that divorced and widowed persons were more hesitant toward positive health behavior. Hoebel et al [ 58 ] and Wilson et al [ 59 ] found that married individuals were more willing to participate in regular health checks. This can be attributed to greater attention to health symptoms and higher awareness of preventive measures among those living with a partner [ 60 ].…”

Periodic health checkups reduce the risk of hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes

“…Furthermore, women with lower socioeconomic statuses are less likely to avail cancer screening examinations, which cost ¥500−¥1,000 with municipal subsidies ( 33 ). Individuals with low socioeconomic statuses generally exhibit a higher risk of smoking, drinking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and not undergoing PHCs ( 32 , 34 , 35 ). Therefore, it is also vital that health promotion policies for PHCs target patients with T2DM with low socioeconomic statuses.…”