NHS Health Check and healthy lifestyle in Leicester, England: analysis of a survey dataset

Abstract

Aims: A major component of the National Health Service (NHS) Health Check in England is to provide lifestyle advice to eligible participants. The aims of the study were to explore the variations (in terms of uptake) in the NHS Health Check in Leicester and to determine its association with a healthy lifestyle. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Leicester Health and Wellbeing Survey (2015). Results: The odds of having an NHS Health Check were found to be higher in Black and minority ethnic groups and in people of other religions. The odds were lower in people without a religion, residing in the fourth index of multiple deprivation quintile and in ex-smokers. No associations were found between having an NHS Health Check and describing a healthy lifestyle, following a healthy lifestyle, thinking of making lifestyle changes in the next 6 months, cutting down on/stopping smoking among current smokers, or amount of alcohol current drinkers would like to drink. Conclusions: In Leicester, a few variations in having an NHS Health Check were found among different socio-economic, demographic and behavioural groups. No association was found between the NHS Health Check and a healthy lifestyle. Thus, the improvement work should focus on reducing these variations in having the NHS Health Check and bringing its benefits on promoting a healthy lifestyle.

NHS Health Check programme: a rapid review update

“…22 There is evidence to suggest lower levels of NHS-HC attendance among smokers. 20 21 One study 20 Open access no religious background were less likely to attend overall. This finding was from a single small community-based study and it is, therefore, difficult to make any inferences about the wider population.…”

“…Generally, more older adults (eg, >60 years old) attended than younger adults. [18][19][20] Evidence suggested men are less likely to attend than women, 17-19 21 22 as statistically evidenced in 21 (adjusted OR (AOR): 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.84) and 19 (AOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.8). Another study 20 however, provide some evidence that men may be more likely to attend than women when the NHS-HCs were conducted opportunistically, where health checks are offered to patients during face-to-face medical consultations for other reasons.…”

“…Generally, more older adults (eg, >60 years old) attended than younger adults 18–20. Evidence suggested men are less likely to attend than women,17–19 21 22 as statistically evidenced in21 (adjusted OR (AOR): 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.84) and19 (AOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.8).…”

Fidelity of the delivery of NHS Health Checks in general practice: an observational study

“…Although there is strong evidence for each of the risk management options individually, the introduction of the programme has not been without controversy, 6 – 8 and the benefits of the programme have been smaller than in early modelling. 9 – 13 Alongside an increasing focus on prevention generally, however, both the NHS Long Term Plan 14 and prevention ‘green paper’, published in July 2019, 15 cite the importance of NHS Health Checks in the future. Understanding how well the programme is currently being delivered, and whether it is being delivered as intended (that is, the ‘fidelity’), 16 is therefore important.…”

Gambling with health

“…A cross-sectional study in Leicester showed variation in uptake between socioeconomic and demographic groups and no association with adopting a healthy lifestyle. 3 The pressure on clinicians to mediate behaviour as well as to treat the results of poor lifestyle may contribute to the high prevalence of stress in doctors – Locke and Lees identify that a review of the evidence base for interventions provides a useful summary of successful approaches, with the need for interventions to be tailored to particular specialties and contexts. 4 Pharmacists also play an important part in advising the public, and integrated pharmacy curricula are helping to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge and skills to do so.…”