Effectiveness of general practice-based health checks

An article published recently in the British Journal of General Practice, Effectiveness of general practice-based health checks: a systematic review and meta analysis concluded that general practice-based health checks are associated with small but statistically significant improvements in outcome, especially among high-risk patients, but most studies were not designed to assess mortality.

A discussion of the study was published in The Conversation last week by Chris Del Mar from Bond University, Should you get general health check-ups? In his analysis, Del Mar outlines the historical background of annual health checks and how they have gradually become standard practice. A 2012 Cochrane review found no benefits in morbidity or mortality for annual health checks, but the current study gives the practice a more positive purpose.

British Journal of General Practice 2014 Jan; 64(618): e47-53. doi: 10.3399/bjgp14X676456. - Contact your health library if you have trouble accessing the fulltext.