For the early detection of major chronic diseases and their risk factors to enable early intervention and treatment, the HPA funds medical institutions to provide Adult Health Checkups. These services are available once every three years for people aged 40 to under 65 and annually for those aged 65 and above (with earlier eligibility for Indigenous people from 55 years old and polio patients from 35 years old). The checkup items include health behavior surveys, physical examinations, blood tests, urine tests, and health consultations. These measures effectively assess six essential indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, kidney function, liver function, and body weight. Regular checkups and continuous monitoring of the changes in health indicators are critical to health management and promotion. For those without clinical symptoms of three highs (hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia) and other cardiovascular diseases, the program can help them detect health problems early to enable early diagnosis, intervention, treatment, and disease management, thereby preventing the occurrence and worsening of the disease.

According to HPA’s implementation data, the national Adult Health Checkups utilization is nearly two million people (about 30% of the eligible population). However, in recent years, due to rapid aging and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization rate has slightly declined but still remains near 30%. In 2021, among recipients of Adult Health Checkups over 40 years old who reported no history of three highs, heart disease, or stroke, 25.0%, 21.6%, and 8.3% were newly found to have abnormal blood .lipid, blood pressure, and blood sugar, respectively, through Adult Health Checkups. Aside from the public-funded Adult Health Checkups, people in Taiwan also have numerous other channels to check their health, including those designed employees, workplaces, and public servants. According to HPA’s 2017 National Health Interview Survey, 60.2% of people over 40 years old had their health checked through either one of those programs.