Primary Drivers of Willingness to Continue to Participate in Community-Based Health Screening for Chronic Diseases

Background: As the average age of the population continues to rise in the 21st century, chronic illnesses have become the most prominent threats to human health. Research has shown that early screenings for chronic diseases are an effective way of lowering incidence and mortality rates. However, low participation rates for health screening is one of the main challenges for preventive medicine. The objective of this study was to determine the primary drivers which: (1) first motivate people to participate in community-based health screening for chronic diseases; and (2) increase their willingness to continue to participate. Methods: A total of 440 individuals between 30 and 75 years of age were invited to undergo a health screening and then complete an interview questionnaire. Screenings and interviews were conducted in four regions in northern Taiwan. The questionnaire was separated into three sections, which explored sociodemographic differences, drivers of willingness to participate, and willingness to continue to participate respectively. Raw data was analyzed using the statistical software package SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Main Outcome Measures: Effects of sociodemographic factors on health screening participation rate, drivers of willingness to participate, and willingness to continue to participate. Results: Seventy-three percent of participants responded that they would be willing to continue to join in future health screenings. Notably, elderly people and married people were respectively more likely to participate in preventive health screening than were younger people and people who were single, divorced, separated, or widowed. Level of education was another key driver of willingness to participate in health screening for chronic diseases, as were the concern of relatives/friends and the provision of participation incentives. Discussion: Some of our findings, such as the key drivers of willingness to continue to participate in health screening that we identified, were different from findings of many previous studies conducted in other countries. The current study also found that a higher percentage of participants would be willing to join a similar health screening in the future if the service design is considered in advance and is well-implemented.