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- Title
Evaluating the use of the heart age tool in community pharmacies: a 4-week cluster-randomized controlled trial.
- Authors
Svendsen, Karianne; Jacobs, David R; Mørch-Reiersen, Lisa T; Garstad, Kjersti W; Henriksen, Hege Berg; Telle-Hansen, Vibeke H; Retterstøl, Kjetil
- Abstract
Background Joint British Societies have developed a tool that utilizes information on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors to estimate an individual's 'heart age'. We studied if using heart age as an add-on to conventional risk communication could enhance the motivation for adapting to a healthier lifestyle resulting in improved whole-blood cholesterol and omega-3 status after 4 weeks. Methods A total of 48 community pharmacies were cluster-randomized to use heart age+conventional risk communication (intervention) or only conventional risk communication (control) in 378 subjects after CVD risk-factor assessment. Dried blood spots were obtained with a 4-week interval to assay whole-blood cholesterol and omega-3 fatty acids. We also explored pharmacy-staff's (n =27) perceived utility of the heart age tool. Results Subjects in the intervention pharmacies (n =137) had mean heart age 64 years and chorological age 60 years. In these, cholesterol decreased by median (interquartile range) −0.10 (−0.40, 0.35) mmol/l. Cholesterol decreased by −0.20 (−0.70, 0.30) mmol/l (P difference =0.24) in subjects in the control pharmacies (n =120) with mean chronological age 60 years. We observed increased concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids after 4 weeks, non-differentially between groups. Pharmacy-staff (n =27) agreed that heart age was a good way to communicate CVD risk, and most (n =25) agreed that it appeared to motivate individuals to reduce elevated CVD risk factors. Conclusions The heart age tool was considered a convenient and motivating communication tool by pharmacy-staff. Nevertheless, communicating CVD risk as heart age was not more effective than conventional risk communication alone in reducing whole-blood cholesterol levels and improving omega-3 status.
- Subjects
CARDIOVASCULAR diseases risk factors; CHOLESTEROL; COMMUNICATION; DRUGSTORES; HEALTH promotion; OMEGA-3 fatty acids; RISK assessment; LIFESTYLES; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
European Journal of Public Health, 2020, Vol 30, Issue 6, p1139
- ISSN
1101-1262
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/eurpub/ckaa048