Non-participants in a preventive health examination for cardiovascular disease: characteristics, reasons for non-participation, and willingness to participate in the future.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the non-participants in a preventive health examination for cardiovascular diseases and their reasons for not participating.


METHODS
A preventive health examination, self-administered questionnaire, and telephone interview.


METHODS
A municipality of 6200 inhabitants in the middle of Sweden.


METHODS
309 persons, 35 or 40 years of age, invited to participate in a health examination.


METHODS
Reasons for non-participation, willingness to participate in future health examinations, and smoking.


RESULTS
The most important reason for non-participating was lack of time or hindrances at work (52%). Other important reasons were already being in contact with the health services (33%) and feeling quite healthy at present (21%). Over half of the non-participants (55%) would be willing to participate in a similar health examination in the future. The proportion of smokers was significantly higher among the non-participants than among the participants in the health examination (31.3% and 18.6% respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
More than half of the non-responders were willing to participate in a similar health examination in the future. If special measures to encourage participation in preventive health examinations were undertaken, it would not be unrealistic to aim for a participation rate of nearly 90%.
Wall
Mikael
M
Public Health Section, Primary Health Care Gästrikland, County Council of Gävleborg, Sweden.
Teeland
Lawrence
L
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation; D010808:Physical Examination; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016312:Treatment Refusal