“Couldn't you have done just as well without the screening?”

摘要

Objective. To explore how individuals whose health screening does not reveal a high cardiovascular risk score (CRS) interpret and respond to this result. Design. Qualitative semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling reflected variations in age, gender, and self-rated health within the sample. Analysis and interpretation were informed by the Health Belief Model concerning individuals’ cues to act when told there is a health threat, and by Hollnagel and Malterud's theories about personal self-assessed health resources. Setting. Participants were recruited among participants without a high cardiovascular risk score in a Danish health-screening project. Subjects. Seven men and 15 women aged 36–50 years with a low or moderate cardiovascular risk score. Results. The screening confirmed the participants’ feeling of being in good health and they put emphasis on this acquired peace of mind. Participants used the results to eliminate worries and confirm their lifestyle up to now but were aware that the results gave no guarantee that there was nothing the matter elsewhere. Some paid a price for the reassurance since they had to undergo further examinations, had unfulfilled expectations, or were irritated at not being left in peace with their reassurance. Conclusion. Screened individuals who were shown not to have a high risk score appear to be reassured and confirmed in their own feeling of being healthy, and to be aware of the limitations of the screening. Consideration should be given to the possible risk of creating either insecurity or over-complacency through population screening.