UK health check attendance linked to lower risk of death
Non-attendees had higher death rates over ten years than attendees, with a hazard ratio—a comparison of event rates over time—of 1.35.
10 years
Limit: Only covered eligible adults aged 40–74 without existing cardiovascular disease or diabetes
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
An observational cohort study analyzed records for 974,299 UK adults aged 40–74 eligible for National Health Service Health Checks, without existing heart or blood vessel disease or diabetes. Researchers compared 445,446 people who attended at least one check with non-attendees, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic differences.
Non-attendance was associated with higher rates of death and major heart or blood vessel events. The hazard ratios, comparing event rates over time, were 1.35 for death and 1.31 for major cardiovascular events in non-attendees versus attendees. Attendance was also linked to more planned care and lower event-related hospital spending. Over ten years, the estimated additional cost per quality-adjusted life year—a measure combining lifespan and health—was £10,998 for cardiovascular outcomes and £36,499 for mortality outcomes. Uptake varied markedly by socioeconomic circumstances.
Why it matters
Preventing premature deaths from heart and blood vessel disease matters for health in later life. This evaluation addressed whether routine health checks could offer value at a population scale.
Caveats
This observational study could not establish that attendance caused the differences. The congress abstract covered eligible adults aged 40–74 without existing cardiovascular disease or diabetes, not people outside that population.
