Proactive Screening Beliefs in Chinese High-Risk Patients of Panvascular Disease from the Perspective of Health Belief Model: A Qualitative Study

Background: Panvascular disease (PVD) is a systemic atherosclerotic condition that poses a substantial threat to global health. Despite the recognized importance of early proactive screening, proactive screening beliefs among high-risk populations are poorly understood. Objective: To explore the proactive screening beliefs among Chinese high-risk patients for PVD based on the Health Belief Model (HBM), so as to provide evidence for developing targeted nursing intervention strategies and health policies. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Employing a purposive sampling strategy with maximum variation, participants at elevated risk for PVD were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Shanghai between October and December 2025 to conduct semi-structured interviews. Data saturation guided sample size (n = 22; 14 male, 8 female; mean age 62.68 years). Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Five main themes were extracted: multifaceted perceptions of susceptibility, multidimensional fear of severity, positive attitudes toward the benefits of proactive screening, multiple perceived barriers to proactive screening, and significant differences in self-efficacy for proactive screening. Conclusions: The proactive screening beliefs in Chinese high-risk patients of PVD were deeply embedded in local cultural values and healthcare realities. Tailored health education, age-friendly service optimization, and stratified intervention strategies are urgently needed to reduce screening barriers and improve population-wide proactive screening beliefs.