Background: This study investigated relationships among socioeconomic factors and participation in health examinations for Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) using a representative Japanese population.

Methods: We used the linkage database of NIPPON DATA2010 and Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions 2010. Participants with NHI aged 40–74 years were included in the analysis. Prevalence ratios (PRs) for participation in health examinations in the past year were set as an outcome. Participant characteristics, including sex, age, socioeconomic factors (educational attainment, employment, equivalent household expenditure [EHE], house ownership, and marital status), laboratory measures, and lifestyle were included in an age-stratified modified Poisson regression analysis to examine relationships.

Results: The number of study participants was 812, and 564 (69.5%) participated in health examinations in the past year. Among those aged 40–64 years, there was no significant PR for socioeconomic factors. Among those aged 65–74 years, high (≥13 years) educational attainment (adjusted PR, 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.41) and house ownership (PR 1.40; 95% CI, 1.11–1.77) were positively associated with participation, while high (4th quartile) EHE (PR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73–0.97) was negatively associated.

Conclusion: These results suggest that high educational attainment, house ownership, and low EHE were positive factors for participation in health examinations among those aged 65–74 years.