Cardiovascular risk factor modification on the workplace: 1-year effectiveness

Objective: to investigate 1-year effectiveness of work-site intervention for primary and secondary prevention of hypertension consisted of screening and three types of health education.

Methods. First stage included health screening of cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular diseases and total cardiovascular risk by standardized methods. On the second stage of the study all participants were proposed to take part in educational programs for primary and secondary prevention of hypertension. The workers who agreed were randomized in intervention and control group.

Results. 468 workers took part in screening. The mean age of study participants was 51,2±12,9. Cardiovascular screening revealed 58,6% persons with high cardiovascular risk. 101 workers with hypertension agreed to participate in educational program for hypertensive people. 98 workers with risk factors agreed to participate in educational program for weight reduction and 87 – in program for stress correction. After one year observation the effectiveness of total intervention was the following: in intervention group mean systolic blood pressure decreased comparing with baseline value (128,9±13,0 vs 137,9±22,9, g<0,05) and control group (128,9±13,0 vs 134,3±18,4 g<0,05). The same changes were in diastolic blood pressure. Also in intervention group mean plasma cholesterol level decreased comparing with baseline value (4,9±0,8 vs 5,6±1,1, g<0,05) and control group (4,9±0,8 vs 5,6±1,0, g<0,05). In total intervention group the baseline proportion of high cardiovascular risk participants was 68,4%, after one year it became 40,4% (p<0,05).

Conclusion. Work-site intervention for primary and secondary prevention of hypertension is effective in cardiovascular risk factors and total risk decreasing.