Are Periodic Health Examinations Worth-while?

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Abstract
A group of 765 employed male office workers were examined regularly over a period of 10 or more years. An effort was made to relate disabilities occurring during a 7-year period to diagnoses made at the time of previous examinations. Excluding non-specific upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal upsets, 199 of the group were disabled 8 or more days, on one or more occasions, for 238 medical reasons. An additional 8 employees became permanently incapacitated for their usual duties and 34 died. The disease process causing disability or death at the time of earlier examination in 37.1% of the cases. Employees reported to their examining physicians with early symptoms between examinations in 29.3% of the cases. The remaining 33.6% of the disabilities were caused by disease not previously documented. In almost all such instances the disease was an acute medical or surgical condition which could not have been anticipated earlier. The data largely refute the criticisms of periodic medical examination programs made by sceptics. The authors conclude that in spite of certain compromises, properly chosen physicians, continuously available at the place of employment, can make a valuable contribution to the health maintenance of an employed group.

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