Knowledge and Factors Associated With the Practice of General Health Checks Among Adults in the UAE: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study explores how much people in the UAE know about general health checks and what factors influence their use, finding that age and health insurance are more important than knowledge.

Contribution

The study identifies demographic and health system factors as stronger predictors of general health check participation than knowledge in the UAE.

Findings

Participants aged 35-44 and ≥45 were more likely to practice general health checks than those aged 18-24.

Having healthcare insurance or a family history of chronic conditions increased the likelihood of participating in general health checks.

Knowledge scores were moderate, but not strongly associated with actual health check practices.

Abstract

Background: General health checks (GHCs) are preventive encounters with asymptomatic individuals aimed at early disease detection and risk assessment, yet evidence supporting their overall effectiveness remains mixed. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where non-communicable diseases account for a substantial proportion of morbidity and mortality, preventive health services are increasingly emphasized.

Aim: This study aimed to assess knowledge and practices related to general health checks among adults in the UAE and to identify factors associated with their utilization.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2023 using a self-administered online questionnaire distributed via snowball sampling. Adults aged 18 years and above residing in the UAE were included, and participants who did not speak Arabic or English were excluded. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, health-related factors, knowledge of GHCs, and self-reported GHC practice, guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were performed. Analyses were conducted using IBM Corp. Released 2023. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. at a 5% significance level.

Results: Among 422 participants (308 females, 114 males; 24.9% UAE nationals, 75.1% non-nationals), 62.6% practiced GHCs. The median knowledge score on GHCs was 33.33 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 27.7-44.4. Logistic regression indicated participants aged 35-44 and ≥45 were more likely to practice GHCs than those aged 18-24 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.545, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.892-10.921, p<0.001; OR = 3.077, 95% CI 1.215-7.797, p = 0.018). Participants with healthcare insurance or a family history of chronic conditions were also more likely to practice GHCs (OR=2.059, 95% CI 1.164-3.642, p=0.013; OR=2.382, 95% CI 1.432-3.962, p<0.001).

Conclusions and recommendations: These findings suggest that participation in GHCs in the UAE is influenced more by demographic and health system factors than by knowledge, highlighting a gap between awareness and informed preventive behavior. Further research is needed to examine the quality, motivations, and long-term outcomes associated with GHCs participation.

Figures