Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #98911

Joseph Boffa, DDS MPH, Health Policy & Health Services Research, Boston University, 560 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, 617-638-4673, jboffa@bu.edu and Mark Schwager, MD, Internal Medicine, Roger Williams Medical Center, 825 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence, RI 02908.

HealthLink Wellness funded by the CDC initiated a process of prevention and early detection of disese for seniors in community settings. The purpose is to create a culture of wellness based on three principles, education, retiree health programs, and community partnerships. The initial support of the Rhode Island AFL/CIO was critical in the acceptance of HealthLink by labor retirees and their local chapter leadership. After HealthLinks first year several Rhode Island senior citizens organizations collaborated on wellness activities.

With this base of support, HealthLink went on to establish seven regional screening centers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. HealthLink's wellness approach is based on retiree participation in regular medical screenings and feedback. The specific measures screened were: fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), smoking habits and body mass index (BMI). Four separate screening sessions were held at the regional centers. The first screening was conducted in October 2002 and the last in June 2004.

HealthLink completed its final screening in June 2004 for a total of 523 participants. The results of the screenings were that for fasting blood glucose participants exhibited a shift of 51% normal at the first screening to 77% by the fourth, total cholesterol results improved from 48% to 71% normal after four screenings. Blood pressure was a more difficult measure to record improvement. At the first screening 61% exhibit Hypertension and that was reduced to 37% by the fourth, but the shift was mostly from hypertension classification to pre-hypertension classification.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, the participant will be able to

• List the three organizational goals of HealthLink's wellness approach.
• List the types of wellness strategies to support seniors wellness efforts.
• Outline analytical approaches in wellness assessment feedback to retirees and program managers.

Keywords: Community Health, Community Collaboration

Related Web page: www.newenglandsenior.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation