Determining whether periodic health checkups have any preventive effect on deterioration in health among middle-aged adults: A hazards model analysis in Japan

• Oshio Takashi

  Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University

• Tsutsumi Akizumi

  Department of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine

• Inoue Akiomi

  Institutional Research Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to examine the long-term impact of periodic health checkups (PHCs) on health outcomes among middle-aged adults. Methods: We used longitudinal data from 29 770 individuals (15 399 men and 14 371 women) aged 50-59 years in the baseline year (2005), obtained from a population-based 14-wave survey. PHC participants were defined as those who underwent PHCs for the first three consecutive waves, and we investigated the onset of inpatient care for five types of non-communicable diseases (diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) as well as poor self-rated health and problems in the activities of daily living in the subsequent 11 waves. Cox-proportional hazards models were used to estimate the impact of PHCs on health outcomes by employing the propensity score matching (PSM) method. Results: Participation in PHCs was closely related to a respondent's socioeconomic status and health behavior. After controlling for these factors by PSM, the hazard models showed that PHCs postponed the onset of inpatient care for hypertension (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval: 0.36-0.85) among men, but PHCs had no impact on any other health outcomes in men or women. Conclusions: The preventive impact of PHCs on health deterioration is generally limited among middle-aged adults. Future studies should address policy measures to enhance the effectiveness of PHCs.

Journal

• Journal of Occupational Health

  Journal of Occupational Health 63 (1), n/a-, 2021

  Japan Society for Occupational Health

Keywords

• activities of daily living
• Cox-proportional hazard model
• non-communicable disease
• periodic health checkups
• propensity score matching, self-rated health

Details

• CRID: 1390009371653806464
• NII Article ID: 130008144162
• DOI: 10.1002/1348-9585.12291
• ISSN: 13489585
• ISSN: 13419145
• Web Site: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/1348-9585.12291
• Web Site: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/1348-9585.12291
• Web Site: https://academic.oup.com/joh/article-pdf/63/1/e12291/54608607/joh212291.pdf
• Web Site: https://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2023114532
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed