Research addressing the uptake of preventive healthcare among people with disabilities in Japan is extremely limited. This study sought to (1) assess the link between disability and participation in general health examinations (GHE) as well as screenings for lung, gastric, colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers, and (2) investigate reasons why individuals with disabilities might skip GHE. Using data from the 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions, responses from 15,294 adults aged 20–74 were analyzed. Associations between disability and non-attendance in preventive services were evaluated through binomial logistic regression, while descriptive analyses explored reported reasons for avoiding GHE. Results revealed that disability independently increased the likelihood of not undergoing GHE (OR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.14–2.62) and screenings for colorectal (OR: 1.78; 95%CI: 1.08–2.94), gastric (OR: 2.27; 95%CI: 1.27–4.05), cervical (OR: 2.12; 95%CI: 1.04–4.32), and breast cancers (OR: 2.22; 95%CI: 1.04–4.72), after adjusting for potential confounders. The most cited explanation for non-participation was the perception that “I can see a doctor anytime if I am concerned” (25/54, 46.3%). These findings suggest that people with disabilities in Japan experience disparities in access to preventive healthcare services.
