Role of Routine Medical Checkups in Enhancing Health Security among the Elderly in Katsina, Nigeria

Background Routine Medical Checkups (RMCs) are critical to preventive healthcare for ageing populations, yet their contribution to health security and pandemic preparedness in low-resource settings remains underexplored. In northern Nigeria, elderly populations face high burdens of unmanaged non-communicable diseases, weak insurance coverage, and entrenched reliance on reactive care. This study examines how RMCs function as a preventive and surveillance mechanism that strengthens individual resilience and system-level preparedness among elderly persons in Katsina State. Methods A community-based cross-sectional mixed-methods design was adopted across three Local Government Areas in Katsina State. Quantitative data were collected from 1,170 adults aged ≥ 60 years using structured questionnaires administered via KoboCollect, while qualitative data were generated through 18 in-depth interviews and 12 focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression), and qualitative data were analysed thematically using NVivo 14. The study was theoretically guided by the Social Construction of Health and the Health Belief Model. Findings : Awareness of age-related non-communicable diseases was high (71.71%), yet routine engagement in RMCs remained suboptimal. Financial constraints (61.71%), inadequate knowledge (58.89%), long distances to facilities (36.58%), and reliance on self-treatment and traditional remedies significantly limited utilisation. Awareness of RMCs was strongly associated with continued checkup behaviour beyond age 60, explaining 31.5% of variance in sustained participation. Quantitative correlations showed that early-life engagement in RMCs strongly predicted continued use in old age (r = 0.689, p < 0.01). Qualitative findings revealed that faith-based interpretations of illness, perceptions of ageing as “natural decline,” and mistrust of preventive care reinforced reactive health-seeking. Nonetheless, over 80% of respondents acknowledged that RMCs improve health outcomes and reduce family caregiving stress. Conclusion Routine Medical Checkups represent a critical yet underutilised pillar of health security among the elderly. Strengthening awareness, affordability, and accessibility of RMCs through mobile services, insurance reform, and community-based education can shift care from reactive to preventive, reducing biological vulnerability and enhancing pandemic preparedness in fragile health systems.