Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening attendance: Effect of removing the examination fee. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Linné, Anneli; Hultgren, Rebecka; Öhman, Daniel; Törnberg, Sven; Elfström, K Miriam
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical screening. Volume 25:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 224
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Abdominal aortic aneurysm -- screening -- attendance -- participation -- patient fees -- socio-economic background; Medical screening -- Periodicals; 362.177
• DOI: 10.1177/0969141318774583
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-1413

Abstract

Objectives: The organized population-based screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysm in Stockholm, Sweden, started in 2010. An examination fee was initially charged, but later removed because of a policy change. We examined the effect on screening attendance of removing the fee. Methods: The periods before and after removing the examination fee were compared with regard to screening attendance, overall, by municipality and by district. Results: Screening attendance was 79.2% in the period with an examination fee and 79.9% in the period without an examination fee (p = 0.1787), with no significant change in screening attendance between the periods. Conclusions: Although removing examination fees has been shown to have a positive impact on attendance in other screening programmes, we did not find this association in our study.