Difference between consciousness of intervention for improving lifestyle by public health nurses and recipients of a company health check

Abstract

Improving an unhealthy lifestyle decreases risk of incidence and death of lifestyle-related diseases. Consultation about a healthy lifestyle to recipients of health checkups conducted by public health nurses is one method for such improvement. The objective in the present study was to investigate the difference between consciousness of intervention by (1) the public health nurses who conducted consultations with recipients of health checkups and (2) the recipients who were consulted by the public health nurses. Data on 1370 male white collar workers who underwent health checks were analyzed. When public health nurses determined that recipients required health consultation regarding lifestyle from the health checkup, they consulted with the recipients regarding improvement of lifestyle. The consultation regarding lifestyle included abstinence from smoking, drinking in moderation, exercise, and eating. The results of the analysis regarding difference in consciousness of the intervention by the public health nurses and the recipients show that (1) most drinkers did not think they were being discouraged to drink despite intervention by the public health nurses and (2) the smokers and the subjects with no habitual physical exercise tend to think that they were being consulted even though the public health nurses did not intervene regarding smoking and exercise.