www.astralcodexten.com/p/should-people-avoid-whole-body-screening
1 correction found
only ~half of people bother to go to regular checkups
This substantially understates how common routine checkups are in the U.S. CDC data says roughly three-quarters of adults had a routine checkup in the past year, not "about half."
Full reasoning
This claim is inconsistent with CDC data on routine checkups.
The CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators page defines this measure as adults who "report having been to a doctor for a routine checkup ... in the previous year" and states: "In 2021, three-fourths of U.S. adults (73.6%) visited a doctor for a routine checkup in the past year." That is far above "~half."
A separate CDC FastStats page also reports that 85.2% of adults had a visit with a doctor or other health care professional in the past year in 2024. That is a broader measure than a routine checkup, but it points in the same direction: the article's "~half" figure is too low for U.S. adults.
Because the post presents "~half" as a real-world prevalence claim, the best available official U.S. data contradicts it.
2 sources
- Non-Medical Factors | Chronic Disease Indicators | CDC
Routine checkup within the past year among adults ... In 2021, three-fourths of U.S. adults (73.6%) visited a doctor for a routine checkup in the past year.
- FastStats - Physician office visits
Percent of adults who had a visit with a doctor or other health care professional in the past year: 85.2% (2024).