Webinar: What influences the commissioning, delivery, and uptake of general health checks? A stakeholder perspective

December 1st. 10AM - 11AM (CET, Norwegian time)

Language: English

Where: Zoom - Register here

This Cochrane Qualitative Evidence Synthesis examined stakeholder perceptions of general health checks despite quantitative evidence showing little mortality benefit. Analyzing 36 studies across diverse settings, they found that health checks remain popular among clients, providers, and policymakers. Clients value reassurance, lifestyle motivation, and comprehensive testing, though fear of results can deter participation. Providers emphasize need for skilled, culturally competent delivery but face barriers like time constraints and resource limitations. Cultural factors, social norms, and accessibility strongly influence uptake. Despite lack of proven effectiveness, health checks fulfill specific wants/needs, suggesting alternatives may be needed before reducing these widely accepted services.
 

Isolde Sommer is an Associate Professor at the Department for Evidence-Based Medicine and Evaluation at the University for Continuing Education Krems and deputy director of Cochrane Austria. She has over ten years of experience in leading and conducting systematic reviews for local and international commissioners (e.g., the Main Association of Austrian Social Security Institutions, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), the World Health Organization (WHO), the American College of Physicians (ACP), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)). Her particular interest lies in advancing the methods of systematic reviews, other types of evidence synthesis, and the development of clinical practice guidelines. 

Over the past eight years, Isolde Sommer has focused intensively on the topic of preventive health examinations and screening, both from the perspective of "Which screening and preventive examinations are effective?" as well as from the perspective of "Why are these examinations offered and what motivates people to use them or not?"
 

To find other courses or seminars, you can visit Cochrane Training.