Routine Checkup, 18+
...
...
...
Why do we measure routine checkups?
Routine checkups are part of a set of preventive health care services that can reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic disease by helping individuals prevent, identify, and manage health conditions.(1) Regular checkups provide continuity of care over time, focus on the whole patient, and support coordination with other parts of the health system, which can improve health and well-being.(2)
A substantial proportion of the population report difficulty accessing their provider for routine care for many reasons, including lack of transportation, lack of awareness, or lack of health insurance.(2,3) Additionally, disparities in access to routine care exist in rural areas and urban areas with significant economically disadvantaged populations, and shortages in primary care providers are expected to grow in the coming years.(2,4) Being aware of regions where people are less likely to access routine checkups allows communities to target policy and programmatic initiatives to increase access and utilization.
How do we measure routine checkups?
This metric measures the proportion of adults 18 and older who report visiting a doctor for a routine checkup within the previous year. A routine checkup is a visit to a medical provider for a general physical examination, rather than for a specific injury, illness, or condition.
Strengths of Metric | Limitations of Metric |
This metric captures actual utilization of primary care, not only the availability of providers.
| This metric does not provide information on quality of care or what preventive services are offered during a routine checkup. The metric is self-reported and depends on the accurate reporting of the person surveyed. |
Calculation
Routine checkup is calculated by the following formula:
Routine checkup = [Respondents aged 18 and over who have had a routine checkup in the previous year]/Total respondents aged 18 and over x 100%
This metric was calculated by aggregating estimates from smaller geographies to the congressional district level. For more information, please refer to the Congressional District Health Dashboard Technical Document.
Data Source
Estimates for this metric are from one year modeled PLACES Project Data (formerly 500 Cities Project)from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
References
CDC. Prevention Measure Definitions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published December 8, 2020. Accessed August 9, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions/prevention/index.html
Bodenheimer T, Pham HH. Primary Care: Current Problems And Proposed Solutions. Health Affairs. Published online August 2, 2017. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0026. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0026
Pickens CM, Pierannunzi C, Garvin W, Town M. Surveillance for Certain Health Behaviors and Conditions Among States and Selected Local Areas — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2015. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2018;67(9):1-90. doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6709a1. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/pdfs/ss6709a1-H.pdf
Corscadden L, Levesque JF, Lewis V, Strumpf E, Breton M, Russell G. Factors associated with multiple barriers to access to primary care: an international analysis. Int J Equity Health. 2018;17(1):28. doi:10.1186/s12939-018-0740-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29458379/
Prevention measure definitions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions/prevention/index.html#visits-doctor. Published December 8, 2020. Accessed November 11, 2022.
Last updated: January 24, 2023