Abstract
Background
Prevention is an important instrument for public health improvement and maintaining workability of active age people. National Health Insurance Fund of Bulgaria (NHIF) finances an annual regular check-up for people over 18 years of age. In addition, working people have access to preventive activities at their workplace. The aim of the study is to explore an actual regularity of preventive activities at active population in Bulgaria.
Materials and Methods
Data were collected by documents review and direct individual self-administered questionnaire, within a larger research project on health of active population in Bulgaria. It includes 326 employees in a study representing different branches, companies and professions. The questionnaire consists of questions about: a) distribution of risk factors, b) knowledge and attitude to prevention as a tool for better health c) types and regularity of preventive activities. Data processing was performed by SPSS v.24.
Results
Three of four respondents have been diagnosed with chronic disease, 49.4% of them suffer from more than one disease. One third of observed people take more than one medicine. Despite NHIF offers free of charge and obligatory annual check-ups, only 46% of study subjects have undergone a preventive examination within the last year, 49.7% - between 2 and 5 years and 4.3% have done so more than 5 years ago or never, which decrease the effectiveness of preventive measures. Visiting regular check-ups is significantly lower for younger age groups (below 44 years; p < 0.05). Relatively large part of people measured blood pressure (88.5%), blood glucose (67%) and blood cholesterol (51.5%) during the last year in relation to any symptoms, but not within the regular check-up.
Conclusions
Study results confirm the current tendency for low coverage of annual check-ups of working population in Bulgaria. Potential of preventive activities is not rationally used because recommended regularity is not observed.
Key messages
Phenomena as polymorbidity and polypragmasia are widely distributed in Bulgarian active population. Potential of preventive activities is not fully used because recommended regularity is not observed. Despite Bulgarian NHIF finances obligatory annual check-up for people aged over 18 years, most people become subjects of medical examination in case of disease symptoms, rather than regular check-ups.