Evaluation of a Periodic Multiphasic Health Checkup

A controlled trial aimed at testing the efficacy of periodic Multiphasic Health Checkups in preventing or postponing morbidity, disability, and death has been in progress since 1964. After seven years of follow-up the most striking findings are: 1) a reduction in self-reported disability among men aged 45—54 at entry who were urged to take the periodic checkups; and 2) in the urged group as a whole, a reduction in mortality from a collection of causes deemed beforehand to be potentially postponable through use of periodic checkups. There are no strong indications that chance fluctuation, selective loss to follow-up, selective under-reporting, or initial health status discrepancies can explain the mortality difference.

Seit 1964 wird in einer kontrollierten Versuchsreihe die Effektivität von Vorsorge-Untersuchungen bezüglich der Verzögerung von Morbidität, Invalidität und Mortalität untersucht. Am Ende einer siebenjährigen Laufzeit der Studie zeigen sich folgende wesentliche Resultate: (1) bei Männern im Alter von 45 bis 54 Jahren, die zu periodischen Untersuchungen angehalten worden waren, eine Verringerung des selbstberichteten Arbeitsanfalls wegen Krankheit; (2) allgemein eine Verringerung der Mortalität aus Ursachen, die von vornherein als durch Vorsorge-Untersuchungen reduzierbar gekennzeichnet worden waren. Es ist unwahrscheinlich, daß es sich bei der Mortalitätsverringerung um Zufall, selektiven Beobachtungsoder Berichtsveiiust oder um Unterschiede in der Anfangsmorbidität handelt.

Key-Words

Periodic Health Checkups - Multiphasic Screening - Automated Multiphasic Health Testing - Preventive Medicine Evaluation

Schlüssel-Wörter

Periodische Vorsorge-Untersuchungen - Massenuntersuchung (multiphasisch - automatisiert) - Bewertung präventiv-medizinischer Maßnahmen

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