Hypertension control at the work site. Comparison of screening and referral alone, referral and follow-up, and on-site treatment

The causal effect of family physician program on the prevalence, screening, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in an Eastern Mediterranean Region: a causal difference-in-differences analysis

BACKGROUND

Hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) as part of non-communicable diseases are among the most common causes of death worldwide, especially in the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). The family physician program (FPP) proposed by WHO is a health strategy to provide primary health care and improve the community's awareness of non-communicable diseases. Since there was no clear focus on the causal effect of FPP on the prevalence, screening, and awareness of HTN and DM, the primary objective of this study is to determine the causal effect of FPP on these factors in Iran, which is an EMR country.

METHODS

We conducted a repeated cross-sectional design based on two independent surveys of 42,776 adult participants in 2011 and 2016, of which 2301 individuals were selected from two regions where the family physician program was implemented (FPP) and where it wasn't (non-FPP). We used an Inverse Probability Weighting difference-in-differences and Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation analysis to estimate the average treatment effects on treated (ATT) using R version 4.1.1.

RESULTS

The FPP implementation increased the screening (ATT = 36%, 95% CI: (27%, 45%), P-value < 0.001) and the control of hypertension (ATT = 26%, 95% CI: (1%, 52%), P-value = 0.03) based on 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines that these results were in keeping with JNC7. There was no causal effect in other indexes, such as prevalence, awareness, and treatment. The DM screening (ATT = 20%, 95% CI: (6%, 34%), P-value = 0.004) and awareness (ATT = 14%, 95% CI: (1%, 27%), P-value = 0.042) were significantly increased among FPP administered region. However, the treatment of HTN decreased (ATT = -32%, 95% CI: (-59%, -5%), P-value = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

This study has identified some limitations related to the FPP in managing HTN and DM, and presented solutions to solve them in two general categories. Thus, we recommend that the FPP be revised before the generalization of the program to other parts of Iran.

External Validity and Worksite Wellness: Lessons From China and Illinois

This editorial describes recent randomized controlled trials of worksite wellness interventions and argues that fidelity to intervention designs should be contingent on careful consideration of internal and external validity. A China based hypertension management study which achieved impressive outcomes across 60 workplaces using a comprehensive approach is contrasted with the traditional wellness practices employed in other randomized controlled trials conducted in America. Why studies with negative findings receive more media and professional scrutiny than studies with positive findings is discussed. Three reasons are posited for why bad is stronger than good when it comes to capturing attention. Adoption of new evidence is discussed along with what health promotion professionals can do to advance best practices by considering adoption as an ongoing process.

Improving Participation in Worksite Wellness Programs: Comparing Health Education Classes, a Menu Approach, and Follow-up Counseling

Findings are presented from a study to compare four types of worksite wellness programs to reduce cardiovascular risks. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study was implemented in four large manufacturing plants, similar in demographic characteristics. At the end of the three-year study period, the two sites that included individual outreach and counseling had engaged about 46 percent of identified smokers and 54 percent of the overweight into smoking cessation and weight loss activities, respectively. This compares with fewer than 10 percent at the site offering health education classes only, and less than one percent at the control site. In order to achieve these results, the outreach and follow-up counseling was coupled with a menu of interventions for smoking cessation and weight loss, to accommodate the needs of people who cannot or will not participate in classes. The menu includes guided self-help, one-to-one counseling, mini-groups, and full classes.

Attitudes of Employees for an On-Campus Health Promotion Program at a Large Urban University

This article describes the results of a survey among employees at Wayne State University that were designed to determine the desire for and willingness to participate in a campus wellness program. All 4,300 employees were mailed a questionnaire during the period March-June 1989. Among the 2,401 respondents (56% response rate), 81% felt a wellness program should be offered and 57% indicated an intention to participate. A significantly higherpercentage ofBlacks (77%) and women (62%) stated they would participate as compared to Whites (51%) and men (51%). There was an inverse relationship between desire for the program and income level; those who held commercial health club memberships and resided closerto campus showed higher interest. In the overall sample, lunchtime activities were the most requested. Types of services most requested included health screening (e.g., cholesterol testing and fitness assessment) and exercise classes.

Factors influencing the decline in stroke mortality: a statement from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Stroke mortality has been declining since the early 20th century. The reasons for this are not completely understood, although the decline is welcome. As a result of recent striking and more accelerated decreases in stroke mortality, stroke has fallen from the third to the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This has prompted a detailed assessment of the factors associated with the change in stroke risk and mortality. This statement considers the evidence for factors that have contributed to the decline and how they can be used in the design of future interventions for this major public health burden.

METHODS

Writing group members were nominated by the committee chair and co-chair on the basis of their previous work in relevant topic areas and were approved by the American Heart Association Stroke Council's Scientific Statements Oversight Committee and the American Heart Association Manuscript Oversight Committee. The writers used systematic literature reviews, references to published clinical and epidemiological studies, morbidity and mortality reports, clinical and public health guidelines, authoritative statements, personal files, and expert opinion to summarize evidence and to indicate gaps in current knowledge. All members of the writing group had the opportunity to comment on this document and approved the final version. The document underwent extensive American Heart Association internal peer review, Stroke Council leadership review, and Scientific Statements Oversight Committee review before consideration and approval by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee.

RESULTS

The decline in stroke mortality over the past decades represents a major improvement in population health and is observed for both sexes and for all racial/ethnic and age groups. In addition to the overall impact on fewer lives lost to stroke, the major decline in stroke mortality seen among people <65 years of age represents a reduction in years of potential life lost. The decline in mortality results from reduced incidence of stroke and lower case-fatality rates. These significant improvements in stroke outcomes are concurrent with cardiovascular risk factor control interventions. Although it is difficult to calculate specific attributable risk estimates, efforts in hypertension control initiated in the 1970s appear to have had the most substantial influence on the accelerated decline in stroke mortality. Although implemented later, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia control and smoking cessation programs, particularly in combination with treatment of hypertension, also appear to have contributed to the decline in stroke mortality. The potential effects of telemedicine and stroke systems of care appear to be strong but have not been in place long enough to indicate their influence on the decline. Other factors had probable effects, but additional studies are needed to determine their contributions.

CONCLUSIONS

The decline in stroke mortality is real and represents a major public health and clinical medicine success story. The repositioning of stroke from third to fourth leading cause of death is the result of true mortality decline and not an increase in mortality from chronic lung disease, which is now the third leading cause of death in the United States. There is strong evidence that the decline can be attributed to a combination of interventions and programs based on scientific findings and implemented with the purpose of reducing stroke risks, the most likely being improved control of hypertension. Thus, research studies and the application of their findings in developing intervention programs have improved the health of the population. The continued application of aggressive evidence-based public health programs and clinical interventions is expected to result in further declines in stroke mortality.

Home blood pressure measurement as a screening tool for hypertension in a web-based worksite health promotion programme

BACKGROUND

Guidelines on home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) recommend taking at least 12 measurements. For screening purposes, however, it is preferred to reduce this number. We therefore derived and validated cut-off values to determine hypertension status after the first duplicate reading of a HBPM series in a web-based worksite health promotion programme.

METHOD

Nine hundred forty-five employees were included in the derivation and 528 in the validation cohort, which was divided into a normal (n = 297) and increased cardiometabolic risk subgroup (n = 231), and a subgroup with a history of hypertension (n = 98). Six duplicate home measurements were collected during three consecutive days. Systolic and diastolic readings at the first duplicate measurement were used as predictors for hypertension in a multivariate logistic model. Cut-off values were determined using receiver operating characteristics analysis.

RESULTS

Upper (≥ 150 or ≥ 95 mmHg) and lower limit (<135 and <80 mmHg) cut-off values were derived to confirm or reject presence of hypertension after one duplicate reading. The area under the curve was 0.94 (standard error 0.01, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.95). In 62.5% of participants, hypertension status was determined, with 1.1% false positive and 4.7% false negatives. Performance was similar in participants with high and low cardiometabolic risk, but worse in participants with a history of hypertension (10.4% false negatives).

CONCLUSION

One duplicate home reading is sufficient to accurately assess hypertension status in 62.5% of participants, leaving 37.5% in which the whole HBPM series needs to be completed. HBPM can thus be reliably used as screening tool for hypertension in a working population.

Interventions used to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension

BACKGROUND

Patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) in the community frequently fail to meet treatment goals - a condition labelled as "uncontrolled" hypertension. The optimal way to organize and deliver care to hypertensive patients has not been clearly identified.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of interventions to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension. To evaluate the effectiveness of reminders on improving the follow-up of patients with hypertension.

SEARCH STRATEGY

All-language search of all articles (any year) in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) and Medline; and Embase from January 1980.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with hypertension that evaluated the following interventions: (1) self-monitoring (2) educational interventions directed to the patient (3) educational interventions directed to the health professional (4) health professional (nurse or pharmacist) led care (5) organisational interventions that aimed to improve the delivery of care (6) appointment reminder systemsOutcomes assessed were: (1) mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (2) control of blood pressure (3) proportion of patients followed up at clinic

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors extracted data independently and in duplicate and assessed each study according to the criteria outlined by the Cochrane Handbook.

MAIN RESULTS

72 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of included studies varied. An organized system of regular review allied to vigorous antihypertensive drug therapy was shown to reduce systolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference (WMD) -8.0 mmHg, 95% CI: -8.8 to -7.2 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD -4.3 mmHg, 95% CI: -4.7 to -3.9 mmHg) for three strata of entry blood pressure, and all-cause mortality at five years follow-up (6.4% versus 7.8%, difference 1.4%) in a single large RCT- the Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up study. Other interventions had variable effects. Self-monitoring was associated with moderate net reduction in systolic blood pressure (WMD -2.5 mmHg, 95% CI: -3.7 to -1.3 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD -1.8 mmHg, 95% CI: -2.4 to -1.2 mmHg). RCTs of educational interventions directed at patients or health professionals were heterogeneous but appeared unlikely to be associated with large net reductions in blood pressure by themselves. Nurse or pharmacist led care may be a promising way forward, with the majority of RCTs being associated with improved blood pressure control and mean SBP and DBP but these interventions require further evaluation. Appointment reminder systems also require further evaluation due to heterogeneity and small trial numbers, but the majority of trials increased the proportion of individuals who attended for follow-up (odds ratio 0.41, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.51) and in two small trials also led to improved blood pressure control, odds ratio favouring intervention 0.54 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.73).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Family practices and community-based clinics need to have an organized system of regular follow-up and review of their hypertensive patients. Antihypertensive drug therapy should be implemented by means of a vigorous stepped care approach when patients do not reach target blood pressure levels. Self-monitoring and appointment reminders may be useful adjuncts to the above strategies to improve blood pressure control but require further evaluation.

Antiproteinuric effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and an angiotensin II receptor blocker in patients with lupus nephritis

Although the effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) on non-diabetic glomerulonephritis have been reported, studies of their effects on collagen-vascular diseases, particularly lupus nephritis, are limited. In this retrospective, observational study, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (n = 7) with lupus nephritis and uncontrolled proteinuria were treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor followed by the ARB losartan (25 - 50 mg/day). Urinary protein excretion and renal function were evaluated. After 12 months of losartan, mean urinary protein excretion decreased significantly by 84.8%. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures also decreased significantly during the 12 months of losartan treatment, although not in normotensive patients. Complement 4, total complement activity and anti-dsDNA antibody levels, which are indices of SLE activity, and serum creatinine levels, which is an index of renal function, showed no change in response to losartan treatment. A more extensive evaluation of the effects of ARBs in patients with lupus nephritis and poorly controlled proteinuria is required.

Quality Improvement Strategies for Hypertension Management

BACKGROUND

Care remains suboptimal for many patients with hypertension.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of quality improvement (QI) strategies in lowering blood pressure.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Cochrane databases, and article bibliographies were searched for this study.

STUDY SELECTION

Trials, controlled before-after studies, and interrupted time series evaluating QI interventions targeting hypertension control and reporting blood pressure outcomes were studied.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two reviewers abstracted data and classified QI strategies into categories: provider education, provider reminders, facilitated relay of clinical information, patient education, self-management, patient reminders, audit and feedback, team change, or financial incentives were extracted.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Forty-four articles reporting 57 comparisons underwent quantitative analysis. Patients in the intervention groups experienced median reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) that were 4.5 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.5 to 11.0) and 2.1 mm Hg (IQR: -0.2 to 5.0) greater than observed for control patients. Median increases in the percentage of individuals achieving target goals for SBP and DBP were 16.2% (IQR: 10.3 to 32.2) and 6.0% (IQR: 1.5 to 17.5). Interventions that included team change as a QI strategy were associated with the largest reductions in blood pressure outcomes. All team change studies included assignment of some responsibilities to a health professional other than the patient's physician.

LIMITATIONS

Not all QI strategies have been assessed equally, which limits the power to compare differences in effects between strategies.

CONCLUSION

QI strategies are associated with improved hypertension control. A focus on hypertension by someone in addition to the patient's physician was associated with substantial improvement. Future research should examine the contributions of individual QI strategies and their relative costs.

Interventions used to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension

BACKGROUND

It is well recognized that patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) in the community frequently fail to meet treatment goals - a condition labeled as "uncontrolled" hypertension. The optimal way in which to organize and deliver care to patients who have hypertension so that they reach treatment goals has not been clearly identified.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of interventions to improve control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension. To evaluate the effectiveness of reminders on improving the follow-up of patients with hypertension.

SEARCH STRATEGY

All-language search of all articles (any year) in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR), Medline and Embase from June 2000.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with hypertension that evaluated the following interventions: (1) self-monitoring (2) educational interventions directed to the patient (3) educational interventions directed to the health professional (4) health professional (nurse or pharmacist) led care (5) organisational interventions that aimed to improve the delivery of care (6) appointment reminder systems. Outcomes assessed were: (1) mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure( 2) control of blood pressure (3) proportion of patients followed up at clinic.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors extracted data independently and in duplicate and assessed each study according to the criteria outlined by the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook.

MAIN RESULTS

56 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of included studies was variable. An organized system of regular review allied to vigorous antihypertensive drug therapy was shown to reduce blood pressure (weighted mean difference -8.2/-4.2 mmHg, -11.7/-6.5 mmHg, -10.6/-7.6 mmHg for 3 strata of entry blood pressure) and all-cause mortality at five years follow-up (6.4% versus 7.8%, difference 1.4%) in a single large RCT- the Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up study. Other interventions had variable effects. Self-monitoring was associated with moderate net reduction in diastolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference (WMD): -2.0 mmHg, 95%CI: -2.7 to -1.4 mmHg, respectively. Appointment reminders increased the proportion of individuals who attended for follow-up. RCTs of educational interventions directed at patients or health professionals were heterogeneous but appeared unlikely to be associated with large net reductions in blood pressure by themselves. Health professional (nurse or pharmacist) led care may be a promising way of delivering care, with the majority of RCTs being associated with improved blood pressure control, but requires further evaluation.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Family practices and community-based clinics need to have an organized system of regular follow-up and review of their hypertensive patients. Antihypertensive drug therapy should be implemented by means of a vigorous stepped care approach when patients do not reach target blood pressure levels.

Hypertension screening in a salami factory: a worksite hypertension study

The prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension are important epidemiological research topics worldwide. The screening of hypertension in a workplace has some special aspects. We have screened the employees in a Hungarian salami factory (Pick Salami Factory, Szeged, Hungary) for hypertensives. In a cross-sectional survey, the blood pressure (BP) was measured with an instrument meeting accepted measuring principles (BP-TRU BP) and a questionnaire was filled. In all, 1012 factory workers were screened (600 male and 412 female) and 25.7% of the workers proved to be hypertensives. Of these, 61.5% of the hypertensive employees were aware that their BP is high. Among the treated hypertensives, 21.9% were controlled. These results suggest that the efficacy of the management of hypertension in Hungary cannot be solely responsible for the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The improvement of the management of hypertension should decrease the cardiovascular risk in the hypertensive population. The worksite screening and follow-up of hypertension seem to be logical health service solutions. This has been proven to be cost-effective.

Effective strategies for blood pressure control

Of the estimated 50 million Americans suffering from hypertension, less than a fourth have it under control. One-year costs of failing to control hypertension were recently estimated at $964 million for the total US hypertensive population and $467 million for those being treated. This article will describe effective strategies for blood pressure control at national, state, and community levels.

Quality of clinical reports on behavioral interventions for hypertension

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to provide clinicians with the confidence to employ behavioral interventions for hypertension and to guide researchers in the development and reporting of studies.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed English language articles (1970-1999) describing behavioral interventions for hypertension, evaluating aspects of design, analysis, reporting of results, and factors that were associated with higher quality of these studies.

RESULTS

Of 100 articles, 49 were randomized controlled trials (RCT), 33 were observational studies with control groups, and 18 were observational studies without control groups; mean (SE) quality scores were 69.2 (1.6), 57.6 (5.3), and 60.3 (2.2), respectively. RCTs were more likely than observational studies to attain high scores in descriptions of appropriateness of control group, inclusion and exclusion criteria, study population, and the intervention protocol. In multivariate analysis, date of publication, reported funding source, and intervention type were independently associated with greater quality scores: 7.4 [95% CI: 0.03, 14.7] points greater for articles published 1990-1999 vs 1970-1979, 6.5 [95% CI: 1.4, 11.6] points greater for articles reporting government funding vs those not reporting funding sources, and 8.6 [95% CI: 0.3, 17.1], 12.9 [95% CI: 3.4, 22.4], and 14.2 [4.1, 24.4] points greater for articles examining patient education/support, change in delivery system, and mass health campaigns vs articles examining patient reminders, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

While quality has improved over time, there is considerable room for improvement. Investigators should pay particular attention to description of study population and allocation of subjects, the use of standardized outcomes reporting, and appropriate statistical analysis.

A computerized tool for evaluating the effectiveness of preventive interventions

In identifying appropriate strategies for effective use of preventive services for particular settings or populations, public health practitioners employ a systematic approach to evaluating the literature. Behavioral intervention studies that focus on prevention, however, pose special challenges for these traditional methods. Tools for synthesizing evidence on preventive interventions can improve public health practice. The authors developed a literature abstraction tool and a classification for preventive interventions. They incorporated the tool into a PC-based relational database and user-friendly evidence reporting system, then tested the system by reviewing behavioral interventions for hypertension management. They performed a structured literature search and reviewed 100 studies on behavioral interventions for hypertension management. They abstracted information using the abstraction tool and classified important elements of interventions for comparison across studies. The authors found that many studies in their pilot project did not report sufficient information to allow for complete evaluation, comparison across studies, or replication of the intervention. They propose that studies reporting on preventive interventions should (a) categorize interventions into discrete components; (b) report sufficient participant information; and (c) report characteristics such as intervention leaders, timing, and setting so that public health professionals can compare and select the most appropriate interventions.

Distribution and determinants of cardiovascular events during 20 years of successful antihypertensive treatment

OBJECTIVE

To define the distribution and determinants of cardiovascular disease events among participants undergoing long-term antihypertensive therapy, and to stratify them into risk groups on the basis of pretreatment clinical profiles.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study of participants in a worksite-based antihypertensive treatment program in New York city (1973-1994).

PATIENTS

We studied 8690 systematically treated patients who had at least 6 months of follow-up (average of 5.7 years) and, at entry, had had a systolic blood pressure of > or = 160 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of > or = 95 mmHg (after 1992 > or = 140/90 mmHg), or had been being administered antihypertensive medication.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Blood pressure and incidence of morbid and mortal cardiovascular events.

RESULTS

Blood pressure control (to 140 +/- 3/87 +/- 7 mmHg) was achieved by the first year and maintained through 18 years of therapy. In nearly 50,000 person-years of follow-up, there were 468 cardiovascular disease events [myocardial infarction including revascularization (282), strokes (93), congestive heart failure (30) and other cardiovascular deaths (63)]. Deaths from cardiovascular disease events accounted for 68% of all deaths. Myocardial infarction was most common throughout, but congestive heart failure incidence surpassed stroke incidence after 10 years. A scheme for risk stratification was constructed after analysis of the independent association of baseline factors and incident cardiovascular events. Upon the basis of ease of ascertainment and their demonstrated associations with occurrence of cardiovascular disease during treatment, we selected five pretreatment factors (history of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, age > or = 55 years and pulse pressure > or = 60 mmHg) to stratify patients into four groups. Those with no risk factor had a low risk (n=2999), those with one had a moderate risk (3042), those with two had a high risk (2237), and those with three or more had a very high risk (412). Overall, the unadjusted rates of incidence of cardiovascular disease events per 1000 person-years for patients in very high and low risk groups differed by factors of six and 14 for men and women, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate that long-term control of blood pressure can be achieved in a general population. Nevertheless, cardiovascular disease events still accounted for most morbidity and mortality among these 'recovered' hypertensive patients. At entry, on the basis of readily identifiable characteristics, it was possible to stratify patients according to likelihood of subsequent events occurring despite control of blood pressure. This scheme could provide the basis for targeting more aggressive therapy where the potential for further cardioprotection is greatest.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a Spanish population

A cross-sectional population survey using a random, stratified sample into phases was conducted in order to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Albacete (a south-eastern province in Spain) with 248000 inhabitants over 18 years of age. The sample size was of 1322 people. Both systolic and diastolic BP were higher in men than in women and showed an increasing trend with age independently of gender. Assuming a cut-off for hypertension of <140/90 mm Hg and <160/95 mm Hg, we found a prevalence of hypertension of 32.7% and 23.1%, respectively. Overall, 56.5% of hypertensive subjects were aware of their condition. The degree of this awareness was significantly higher in women and in the elderly. The percentage of patients who were receiving antihypertensive treatment was 49.1%. This proportion was also higher among women, elderly people, and subjects living in urban areas. High BP was successfully controlled in 10.9% of the total hypertensive population which accounted for 24.4% of the treated patients. The corresponding figures for the <160/95 mm Hg cut-off were 38.5% and 60.6%, respectively. In the logistic regression model, male gender and size of the local community were significantly associated with a better pharmacological control of hypertension. We found a high prevalence of hypertension with low degree of awareness and control, despite the general progress made in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in Spain. Specific intervention programs are necessary to increase the extent of control of hypertension in our country.

The Family Atherosclerosis Risk Intervention Study (FARIS): risk factor profiles of patients and their relatives following an acute cardiac event

BACKGROUND

Relatives of patients with coronary heart disease have a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease. Attendance at a family-based screening clinic after an acute cardiac event could motivate patients and relatives to modify their lifestyles.

AIMS

The Family Atherosclerosis Risk Intervention Study (FARIS) aimed to determine (i) whether a high proportion of patients and relatives would attend a special screening and prevention programme; (ii) whether the risk factor profiles of relatives would be worse than those in the general community; and (iii) whether ongoing management of patients and families together in a special clinic would improve risk factor profiles.

METHODS

Consecutive patients, together with spouse, siblings and offspring, aged 18 to 69 years, were randomly allocated three months after an acute cardiac event to attend a special outpatient clinic, a screening and advice group, or a control group. Risk factor measures were total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (HDLC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI) and smoking behaviour. This paper presents the risk factor profiles of all FARIS attenders and compares those of family members, age adjusted, with risk factors measured in a multicentre urban cross-sectional survey conducted in the same period. Differences between groups were compared using t-tests for numerical variables and ANOVA and chi-square for categorical variables.

RESULTS

Six hundred and twenty-eight patients and 1723 family members were enrolled, representing 85.9% and 82.7% of eligible patients and relatives respectively. Risk factors were significantly worse amongst family members than among those in the population survey.

Community control of hypertension at work-site: epidemiological data of the Agusta project

In order to set up a program of community control of hypertension at the work site, 8811 employees belonging to 12 factories of the same company (Agusta SpA, Italy) were screened. Seven hundred and seventy-two subjects (8%) were found to be hypertensive; 48% of them were hypercholesterolemic, 44% were smokers, 5% presented with hyperglycemia and 4% had left ventricular hypertrophy. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation between hypertension and age, hypercholesterolemia, body mass index, occupational exposure to noise exceeding 80 dB and, below the age of 40 years, the type of job. Seven hundred and twenty-nine hypertensives were assigned to pharmacological treatment. This group of patients will be followed up for 3 years.

The determinants of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in an insured population

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the study was to identify the determinants of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a population with full access to medical care.

METHODS

Unionized New York City health care workers (n = 1394) with comprehensive medical insurance were screened for hypertension. Union records documenting all physician visits and prescription medications for the year before screening provided the opportunity to relate patterns of treatment to blood pressure outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 409 employees found to have hypertension, 289 (71%) were aware of their condition and 201 (49%) had been treated, but only 51 (12%) had their blood pressure controlled at the recommended level (< 140/90 mm Hg). In a logistic regression model, the only variable of treatment associated with control was days of antihypertensive medication. The total number of physician visits was not associated with control.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that in conventional community settings, even in the absence of financial barriers, treatment for hypertension continues to be characterized by poor outcomes. Improving access to primary care, without changes in the nature of that care, may not substantially improve blood pressure control.

Role of patient compliance in clinical pharmacokinetics. A review of recent research

Until 1986 to 1987, the estimation of patient compliance with prescribed drug regimens in ambulatory care relied on methods that were biased either by their subjectivity or by the improvement in compliance that commonly occurs during the day or two prior to a scheduled examination, so called 'white-coat compliance'. In 1986 to 1987, 2 objective methods were developed: electronic monitoring and low-dose, slow-turnover chemical markers (digoxin or phenobarbital [phenobarbitone]) incorporated into dosage forms. While neither method is without limitations, both have enabled major advances in the understanding of patients' compliance with dosage regimens and, thus, the spectrum of drug exposure in ambulatory care. The new methods have also triggered not only a revival of interest in patient compliance and its determinants, but also new statistical approaches to interpreting the clinical correlates of widely variable drug administration, and thus drug exposure, in drug trials. The marker methods prove dose ingestion during the 3 to 7 days prior to blood sampling, but do not reveal the timing of doses. The electronic monitoring methods, i.e. time and date-stamping microcircuitry incorporated into drug packages, provide a continuous record of timing of presumptive doses throughout periods of many months, but do not prove dose ingestion. The electronic record has been judged robust enough to detect certain types of investigator fraud, and to support modelling projections of the complete time course of the plasma drug concentration during a trial. Both marker and electronic methods show that the predominant errors are those of omission, i.e. delays or omissions of scheduled doses. Patient interviews, diaries, and counts of returned, untaken doses have been shown by both marker and electronic monitoring methods to consistently and substantially to overestimate compliance. Monitoring of plasma drug concentrations also overestimates compliance, because white-coat compliance is prevalent, and the pharmacokinetic turnover of most drugs is rapid enough that measured concentrations of drug in plasma reflect only drug administration during the period of white-coat compliance. Thus, compliance is a great deal poorer in clinical trials than has been revealed by the older methods. The long-standing underestimation of poor compliance in drug trials has many implications for the interpretation of drug trials, for optimal dose estimation, for the interpretation of failed drug therapy, and for accurate labelling of prescription drugs.

Participation in worksite health promotion: a critique of the literature and recommendations for future practice

One of the major rationales for conducting health promotion/disease prevention activities at the worksite is the potential to reach a high percentage of employees, including many who would otherwise be unlikely to engage in preventive health behaviors. Most studies of worksite health promotion do not report participation data, but among those that do, definitions of participation and participation rates vary dramatically. In general, men and blue-collar employees appear less likely to participate, but little is known about other employee variables related to participation. There have been few studies of worksite characteristics associated with participation and even fewer experimental evaluations of interventions to increase participation. In this paper we review what is known about participation in worksite health promotion programs and recommend procedures for defining participation for different types of programs, for reporting determinants of participation, and for increasing participation. We conclude that participation is both an important process measure and an outcome that should be reported routinely. Participation data have important implications for generalizability of results, feasibility of interventions, and health outcomes.

The unit of analysis error in studies about physicians' patient care behavior

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the frequency with which patients are incorrectly used as the unit of analysis among statistical calculations in published studies of physicians' patient care behavior.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of studies published during 1980-1990. ARTICLES: 54 articles retrieved by a computerized search using medical subject headings for physicians and study characteristics. Article selection criteria included the requirement that the physician should have been the correct unit of analysis.

INTERVENTION

Presence of the error was determined by consensus using published criteria.

MAIN RESULTS

The error was present in 38 articles (70%). The number of study physicians was reported in 35 articles (65%). The error was found in 57% of articles that reported the number of study physicians and in 95% of those that did not. The error rate was not lower among articles published more recently nor among those published in journals with higher rates of article citations in the medical literature.

CONCLUSION

The unit of analysis error occurs frequently and can generate artificially low p values. Failure to report the number of study physicians can be a clue that this type of error has been made.

Job absenteeism and arterial hypertension: results of a hypertension control program

This study reports the findings of one of the stages of a programme for the detection and control of arterial hypertension, started in 1980 in an automobile company with a workforce of 9,782. In the initial screening, 522 hypertensive males were found using epidemiological criteria and 206 of these fulfilled the criteria of definite hypertension. The objective of this study consisted of evaluating, 9 years after the start of the program, the indirect cost in terms of the reduction in the morbidity indicator-temporary work incapacity (TWI). Analysis is based on a comparison of the prevalence of hypertension in the population when the program was begun (6%) and in 1989 (9.8%). It can be observed that the TWI rate of the hypertensive population was significantly higher than that of the rest of the workforce, and that this remained true for the reference group (RG) hypertensives a year after the study was initiated. In contrast, the intervention group (IG) showed significantly lower TWI levels, not only in comparison with the RG but also with the rest of the workers. The estimated reduction in TWI for 1989 was 4.500 days/year, which corresponds to an estimated saving of 76.500.000 pesetas/year.

Evaluation of hypertension screening in the Hutterite population

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a hypertension screening program on Hutterites from Alberta, Canada who were found to have a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg. At approximately 16 months postscreening, 200 subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire requesting information about physician follow-up and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapy. Seventy-four percent of the subjects reported that they had their blood pressure measured at least twice since screening. A third of the respondents reported changes in pharmacologic management. Subjects reported weight loss (36%), and salt and alcohol reduction (64% and 48%, respectively) as nonpharmacologic methods for lowering blood pressure. In terms of physician follow-up and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modification, the screening program was effective.

Worksite wellness programs: incremental comparison of screening and referral alone, health education, follow-up counseling, and plant organization

BACKGROUND

Worksite wellness programs vary considerably in their design. This study tested four models to compare effectiveness at controlling high blood pressure, obesity, and cigarette smoking.

METHODS

Baseline screening was conducted in four manufacturing plants. Site 1 offered screening only, with referral recommendations for those found to have CVD risks. Site 2 also provided health education information and classes. Site 3 added routine follow-up counseling and a menu of intervention types, and Site 4 added social organization within the plant. Random samples of 400 to 500 employees were rescreened at the end of three years.

RESULTS

Major improvements in risk levels were found with the addition of routine follow-up counseling and a menu of interventions (Sites 3 and 4, compared with Sites 1 and 2). More hypertensives entered treatment and showed greater reductions in blood pressure. Participation in worksite weight loss and smoking cessation programs was significantly increased, and those who participated showed significantly better maintenance of improvements where follow-up was provided.

DISCUSSION

The program models that offered short-term interventions promoted through local media suffered in comparison with models that included personal outreach to people at risk, a variety of health improvement intervention modalities, and ongoing follow-up counseling to help people make decisions and sustain health improvements.

Worksite follow-up and engagement strategies for initiating health risk behavior changes

Information is presented from a multiplant study of interventions to improve cardiovascular health among employees. Risk factors targeted were high blood pressure, obesity, and cigarette smoking. The study utilized on-site wellness counselors who periodically contacted all employees identified through screening as having one or more of the three risks. Use of a structured protocol for client outreach resulted in the large majority of clients being seen in follow-up during the three-year intervention period. Drawing from caseload experience and from various theoretical perspectives, seven engagement strategies were used to help guide at-risk clients toward successful behavior changes to reduce health risks. Results showed that of the three at-risk groups, clients with high blood pressure were most likely to be seen in follow-up, and most likely to begin a risk reduction program. For the overweight and smokers, clients seen three or more times were more likely to begin a weight-loss/smoking cessation program than clients seen less often. Frequency of follow-up showed a positive relationship with risk reduction for all three risks, in samples of employees rescreened at the end of the intervention period, but the relationship was not statistically significant for smoking cessation.

A randomised controlled trial of counseling in a workplace setting for coronary heart disease risk factor modification: effects on blood pressure

This paper reviews a prospective study of occupational factors in coronary heart disease risk incorporated in a randomised controlled trial of a worksite based occupational health nurse counseling program for reducing coronary heart disease risk factors. The aim of the trial was to evaluate the longterm effectiveness of the counseling program in persons with mildly elevated risk factor levels. Of the 2,489 Australian government employees with mildly elevated risk factor levels who entered the intervention trial, 1,937 (78%) attended a followup examination three years later. This paper reports on changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Multiple linear regression models were used with three-year blood pressure reduction as the dependent variable, intervention status as the main determinant, and sex, age, initial risk level and initial blood pressure as covariates. Although systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell in both the intervention and control groups, intervention was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure change only.

Community control of hypertension at the worksite in a metallurgical factory: results of 1-year follow-up

This study was designed to assess advantages and cost-effectiveness of community control of hypertension at the worksite in a metallurgical factory in Pavia. Under consent of managers and trade-unionists, a screening program was undertaken. 2701 subjects (95% of the total number of employees) were screened: 277 (10.2%) were hypertensive, 101 (38%) did not know to be hypertensive, 56 (22%) knew to be hypertensive but they were untreated and only 20 (8%) of those under treatment were adequately treated. Of the 277 essential hypertensives, 262 (94%) adhered to the program. They were assigned to beta-blocking or diuretic treatment following WHO rules. Then an aggressive follow-up was started (the hypertensives were periodically called to control at the worksite). 257 (98%) were participants 1 year later. Our worksite hypertension control program allowed us to identify many cases of undiagnosed or untreated hypertension and to start an early treatment. One year after entry, the percentage of hypertensives achieving a normal blood pressure (85%) was almost twice as that obtained by conventional clinical approach employing the same type of treatment. Besides, more than 95% of hypertensives remained under control at 1 year. Regarding the costs, it is difficult to generalize, but our study suggests that, if there is the will, it is possible to realize programs of hypertension community control at a very low cost (in our experience: 43 dollars per hypertensive per year).

Worksite-screenings for hypertension with follow-up: experiences from the Munich Blood Pressure Program

In 1983/84, the Munich Blood Pressure Program (MBP) performed worksite screenings for arterial hypertension at 18 Munich companies. A participation of 51% (n = 7310) was achieved. After duplicate measurements of casual blood pressure 1084 participants were suspected of having actual hypertension. All suspected cases were invited for a reexamination to reduce the number of false-positive hypertensives. Individuals with persisting hypertension after this two-step-screening were predominantly male, on the average younger than 50 years and showed a low level of antihypertensive drug treatment. About 75% of all detected hypertensives saw a family physician subsequent to the screenings for further management. Referrals and patient compliance were frequently reinforced by a computer based reminder system. A follow-up examination was performed among the MBP participants after two years. It showed that in 417 confirmed hypertensives of the primary screenings a marked increase in the proportion of treated and controlled hypertensives had occurred. This was true for younger and older hypertensives.

Posttreatment follow-up, aftercare, and worksite reentry of the recovering alcoholic employee

A review of literature on the effects of aftercare in the treatment of alcoholism reveals mixed results, with some studies showing positive effects and some showing no effects. However, few studies controlled for bias in the process of selection into aftercare, and many of the studies reveal significant difficulties in engaging patients into aftercare. The relapse prevention model is reviewed as a potentially powerful tool for use in aftercare. The literature on worksite reentry of alcoholics shows a generally positive correlation between employment and recovery, but does not produce unambiguous findings regarding the direction of the relationship. A nontraditional, proactive approach to aftercare is proposed, based on studies of other types of health problems that show improved results with this approach. It is argued that the worksite is the most appropriate place to locate aftercare services for employed alcoholics, particularly worksites with employee assistance programs. However, further research is needed to guide the development of these services.

The ideological construction of risk: an analysis of corporate health promotion programs in the 1980s

The nature of theoretical knowledge about health promotion and disease prevention programs at the worksite is examined in the context of knowledge as ideological construction. The emergence of the discourse about health promotion is linked to corporate attempts to reduce their share of medical expenditures and solve problems of productivity and absenteeism which plague the American workforce. Although not always evident, corporate managers choose selectively from a body of knowledge about medical costs and illness and disease in contemporary America. That knowledge reinforces the notion of risk: individual propensity to the risk of disease or the attempts of the firm to minimize risk. Three examples of ideological construction: (1) the corporate construction of the cost problem in terms of employee demand and overutilization; (2) the construction of disease etiology as individual risk; and (3) entrepreneurial activity in health promotion, all provide evidence for the dominance of the risk discourse.

Comparison of three worksite weight-loss competitions

Competition is an effective means of promoting weight loss in worksite programs. This study was designed to determine the most effective structure of competition through a comparison of two kinds of competition within one worksite. Two competitions were between teams and one was among individuals. While all three competitions produced significant weight loss and lower attrition than previous worksite programs, the team competitions produced significantly lower attrition rates and significantly greater weight loss than the individual competition. Patterns of loss over time and the distribution of losses for groups also differed, with a smaller proportion of successful participants in the individual competition. The results suggest that team support as well as competition is a necessary component of effective worksite weight loss competitions.

Consequences of worksite hypertension screening. Changes in absenteeism

To confirm reports of increased absenteeism after worksite hypertension screening, we performed a three-stage blood pressure screening among 5888 self-selected heterogeneous workers at 11 electronics plants using standardized screening and labeling procedures. A total of 296 subjects with mean systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater on all three occasions were considered to have sustained hypertension. From the untreated normotensive subjects matched for eight sociodemographic and occupational variables, we prospectively selected one to three controls for each sustained hypertensive subject. Uncorrected absenteeism rates for sustained hypertensive subjects increased 22% from baseline in the postscreening year. Correction by logarithmic transformation for skewed distributions and by rates for matched controls for temporal trends reduced these changes to statistical insignificance with high statistical power. Several subgroups exhibited trends to increased absenteeism. At 12-month follow-up, the blood pressure of the sustained hypertensive subjects showed mean decreases of 12.6/6.7 mm Hg (p less than 0.0001) after the majority had received pharmacological antihypertensive treatment. These results suggest that worksite hypertension screening and labeling produce insignificant absenteeism change overall among self-selected heterogeneous work force populations.

Consequences of worksite hypertension screening. Differential changes in psychosocial function

To evaluate reports of psychosocial dysfunction after worksite screening, a three-stage blood pressure screening was performed using standardized screening and labeling procedures. Of a heterogeneous group of 5,888 workers, 296 with sustained hypertension were identified and randomly assigned to traditional arousal or reassurance debriefings, matching each hypertensive subject with one to three normotensive control subjects on eight sociodemographic and occupational variables. Subjects exhibiting absenteeism increases or persistent hypertension six months after screening were randomly assigned to worksite health education programs or no intervention. After adjustment for values among matched control subjects, previously unaware hypertensive subjects had significant post-screening decreases in anxiety that were significantly associated with specific worksites and with reassurance rather than traditional debriefing (p less than 0.05). The health education program did not significantly affect anxiety, blood pressure, or absenteeism. Increased absenteeism was associated with higher baseline anxiety levels (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that worksite hypertension screening produces minimal adverse psychosocial changes, reassurance debriefing may be beneficial, and unspecified worksite characteristics may determine consequences of similar preventive medicine efforts.

A hypertension treatment program at the workplace to complement community care

A worksite hypertension control program was established for employees of the state of Maryland. Employees were screened for hypertension, and individuals identified as hypertensive were encouraged to seek care from community physicians. For those choosing not to seek such community care, a treatment program was initiated at the worksite. Of the 417 hypertensives identified, 54 (13%) elected to have their blood pressure treated at the worksite. Comparisons between the group choosing worksite care and the group choosing community care revealed that the worksite group was generally a higher risk group by virtue of having less awareness of their hypertension, being less likely to be on antihypertensive treatment, and being less likely to have their hypertension controlled by medication. This group made relatively little use of community physicians. Increases in hypertension treatment and control were greater in the worksite group after a 2-year follow-up examination. The project suggests an important role for worksite treatment programs for hypertension as a complement to existing community care.