For people living in regional and remote communities, where access to a GP or pathology services can involve long travel distances and large out-of-pocket expenses, point-of-care testing (POCT) offers a convenient way to receive timely health information closer to home.
New research from Flinders University suggests these rapid, on‑the‑spot health tests may do more than deliver faster results – they could also help people better understand their health and feel more confident managing long‑term conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Published in the journal, BMC Public Health, the study reviewed evidence from around the world to examine whether point‑of‑care testing improves health literacy – a person's ability to understand, use and act on health information in everyday life.
Point‑of‑care tests are pathology tests performed at or near where care is delivered, such as a finger‑prick blood test that produces results during the same appointment, rather than days later through a laboratory.
The Flinders‑led review analysed 13 studies from around the world involving more than 21,000 people, focusing on non‑communicable diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which together account for the majority of deaths globally.
Rather than looking only at medical results, the researchers examined how point‑of‑care testing affected people's understanding of their condition, their confidence in managing it, and their motivation to make positive lifestyle changes.
Lead author Dr Kelcie Miller from Flinders University's College of Medicine and Public Health says the findings showed that speed and context make a difference.
"When people receive their results straight away and can talk through what they mean with a health professional, it changes how they engage with their health," says Dr Miller.
"It helps turn test results into knowledge people can actually use."
Across the studies, people who used point‑of‑care testing reported better
understanding of their condition, increased confidence in self‑management, and greater motivation to improve diet or physical activity.
Some also reported reduced anxiety and improved quality of life, particularly when tests were used regularly to monitor long‑term conditions such as diabetes or blood clotting disorders.
Importantly, the review found that improved understanding often translated into action. Several studies showed better medication adherence and improvements in key clinical markers, including lower long‑term blood sugar levels among people with diabetes.
Even small improvements in these measures are known to reduce the risk of serious complications, such as heart disease, kidney failure and vision loss.
Senior author, Matthew Flinders Professor Mark Shephard, Founding Director of FHMRI's International Centre for Point‑of‑Care Testing, says the findings highlight the broader value of bringing testing closer to patients.
"Point‑of‑care testing delivers information in a way that is immediate and meaningful," says Professor Shephard.
"It supports conversations, builds confidence and helps people connect everyday choices with long‑term health outcomes."
The review also found that parents of children with diabetes felt more confident managing their child's condition when they had immediate access to test results. In community settings, such as health fairs, people reported that testing prompted them to consider healthier lifestyle choices they might not otherwise have made.
The researchers note that health literacy involves more than simply reading information. It includes being able to access, understand, remember and use health information - and the studies reviewed suggested point‑of‑care testing may support all of these steps.
Dr Miller says further research is needed, but the direction is clear. "We need to better understand how these tools can be used equitably and at scale, especially in communities where access to traditional laboratory testing is limited," she says.
As health systems worldwide contend with rising rates of chronic disease, the researchers say the review provides timely evidence that bringing testing closer to people may empower patients, improve long‑term outcomes, and support a more patient‑centred approach to care.
The paper, Point‑of‑care testing for non‑communicable diseases and health literacy outcomes: a systematic review, by Kelcie Miller, Lauren Duckworth, Tamika Regnier, Susan Matthews, Igor Toskin and Mark Shephard, was published in BMC Public Health. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-26519-w
Acknowledgements: This work was completed by staff of the International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing as part of the agreed workplan of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections Point-or-Care Testing (AUS-125). This work was partially funded by the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), a cosponsored programme executed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
