Higher Participation Rate for Specific Health Checkups Concerning Simultaneous Ophthalmic Checkups

BACKGROUND: Improving the specific health checkups participation rate is an essential task nationwide; however, studies on measures to accomplish this are limited. This study aimed to examine the influence of ophthalmic checkups on the specific health checkups’ participation rate. METHODS: We conducted a postal questionnaire survey on 1,741 countrywide municipalities in Japan from January to February 2019. The questionnaire specifically addressed health checkup participation rates of 2017, health checkups formats (group, individual, or both), simultaneous cancer screenings, simultaneous ophthalmic checkups, and the state of implementation of ophthalmic checkups. We used multiple linear regression analyses to calculate the partial regression coefficients (βs) and their 95% confidential intervals (CIs) to identify the influence of simultaneous ophthalmic checkups on specific health checkup participation rates. RESULTS: There was a significant association between specific health checkup participation rates and simultaneous ophthalmic checkups (β: +2.5%; 95% CI, 1.3–3.8) after adjusting for covariates. The fundus photos of all applicants, fundus photos with restrictions, and ophthalmology consultation for all applicants were associated with a significant increase in the specific health checkup participation rate (β: +2.8%, 95% CI, 1.2–4.4; β: +2.0%, 95% CI, 0.2–3.9; β: +7.4%, 95% CI, 1.2–13.6 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that additional simultaneous ophthalmic checkups as specific health checkups could increase the specific health checkup participation rate.