Relationship Between Health Insurance Status and Frequency of Routine Medical Checkups.

BACKGROUND

Routine medical checkups are essential for early disease detection and prevention. However, disparities in utilization persist across sociodemographic groups, particularly in relation to health insurance coverage in the US population.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the relationship between health insurance status and recent routine medical checkups among US adults, using nationally representative survey data.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (n = 329,549; weighted population = 198,183,089). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and survey-weighted logistic regression were employed to examine the associations between recent checkup status and various variables, including insurance coverage, age, sex, education, income, and race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

Individuals with health insurance had nearly four times the odds of having had a recent checkup compared to those without insurance (OR = 3.90, 95% CI: 3.69-4.12). Female sex, older age, and Hispanic or Black race/ethnicity were also positively associated with recent checkups. Conversely, lower income and educational attainment were linked to reduced utilization.

CONCLUSION

Health insurance coverage is a strong predictor of routine healthcare utilization. Expanding access to insurance may substantially improve the uptake of preventive services, particularly among underserved populations.