Did a health dialogue matter? Self-reported cardiovascular disease and diabetes 11 years after health screening

Abstract

Objective. To study the potential impact of health screening, with or without a motivational health dialogue, on the risk and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes (DM). Design. Two cross-sectional studies with an interval of 11 years. Setting. The community of Harnosand, Sweden. Subjects. In the first study, 402 men born in 1934, 1944, or 1954 underwent health screening for CVD prevention in 1989. In the second study, 415 men (of the same ages) completed a questionnaire in 2000 (11 years later). Main outcome measures. Odds ratio (OR) for self-reported CVD and DM. Results. The odds ratio of self-reported CVD and DM was more than doubled among participants in the health screening without a health dialogue (OR 2.5; 95% CI 0.8-7.4) and threefold for those not participating (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.0-8.8) compared with those who reported participation in health screening that included a structured health dialogue. Conclusions. Health screening for the prevention of CVD and DM benefits from inclusion of a structured, motivational health dialogue. © 2008 Taylor & Francis.