title: Views and experiences of the NHS Health Check provided by general medical practices: cross-sectional survey in high-risk patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the NHS Health Check programme was initiated in 2009, no survey has sought patients' views of Checks provided by GP practices and few studies have reported views of the wider public. This study sought the views and experiences of patients with potentially high-cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional postal survey of all the patients with an actual or estimated CVD risk score of at least 20% over 10 years, registered with 16 general practices in Sefton, North West England, with no follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 23.4% (644/2958), 67.4% had attended and 73.8% of those not yet invited indicated willingness to attend. Both groups had positive views towards Health Checks, but more non-attenders agreed these should only be performed by doctors. Attenders had better self-reported health and healthy lifestyle than non-attenders. Overall 86.6% of attenders recalled receiving one or more pieces of lifestyle advice and 71.0% claimed to have made at least one lifestyle change; however, perception and understanding of CVD risk appeared limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both attenders and non-attenders had positive views towards NHS Health Checks in general practice and resultant self-reported lifestyle change in attenders was high. Clearer written information and explanation of personal CVD risk are required.
authors.affiliation: Universities of Greenwich and Kent, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4TB Kent UK.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krska
authors.affiliation: Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Collaborative Service, Southwood Road, Bromborough, CH62 3QX Wirral, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: du Plessis
authors.affiliation: Sefton Council Public Health Department, Deputy Director of Public Health, Stanley Road, L20 3DL Bootle, UK.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chellaswamy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015980:Public Health Practice; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Primary care; Public health; Screening