title: Do Regular Cholesterol Screenings Lead to Lower Cholesterol Levels and Better Health Behaviors for All? Spotlight on Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates how the causal effects of cholesterol screening differ by likelihood of using this preventive care service in terms of accessibility gaps and effects on health-related outcomes across groups with advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  We use propensity score matching to analyze a nationally representative sample using data from 2008, 2010, and 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study ( N = 3,907).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We find that respondents who are least likely to get their cholesterol tested benefit most from the use of cholesterol screening when they do use it, while its effects are smallest for those who are most likely to use this service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the heterogeneous effects of preventive health service has important policy implications, particularly in terms of how to maximize the public health benefits of preventive care.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: Yool
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 2 University of Massachusetts Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Hyo Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Health and Retirement Study (HRS); cholesterol level; cholesterol screening; heterogeneous effects; preventive health services