21 May 2026
Jacardi
Research conducted within JACARDI summarises evidence on non-clinical methods for measuring blood glucose and cholesterol. The findings point to the preventive potential of self-measurement approaches, while emphasising that wider public health use requires further research, standardisation and strong clinical quality assurance.
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are among the leading causes of ill health and premature mortality in Europe. Both conditions are largely preventable, but prevention requires timely data on risk factors and approaches that are accessible to different population groups. Traditional screening methods can be resource‑intensive and may not reach everyone equally.
The researchers reviewed existing evidence on non-clinical measurement methods, such as dried blood spot samples, finger‑prick capillary blood collection, and emerging non‑invasive technologies. Some of these approaches showed close agreement with standard venous blood tests for specific measurements, particularly glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and triglycerides.
Clinical standards remain essential
However, the review also makes clear that clinical standards remain essential. Accuracy varies between methods, and differences in sample collection, handling and analysis can affect results. For this reason, self-measurement tools cannot currently replace clinical screening and are not recommended for diagnostic or population-level screening purposes.
“Self-measurement technologies have clear potential to support prevention and reduce barriers to participation,” says researcher (PhD candidate) Hanna Elonheimo, lead author of the study. “At the same time, they should be seen as complementary tools, not alternatives to clinically validated methods.”
The authors highlight that accessible and user‑friendly measurement approaches may still play an important role in increasing awareness of cardiovascular and diabetes risk, supporting disease management, and informing future prevention strategies. Further research is needed to improve standardisation, reliability and regulatory validation before wider implementation can be considered.
Publication: Innovative approaches to early detection of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk: focus on glucose and cholesterol measuring
Authors: Hanna M Elonheimo, Alexandra Cucu, Gabriela Cristisor, Ciprian Ursu, Claudia Dima, Petru Milos, Giulia Franceschini, Katiuscia Dibiagio, Roberta Papa, Massimiliano Petrelli, Jelka Zaletel, Hanna Tolonen
Journal: European Journal of Public Health
Publication date: 9 February 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag007