Effects of a screening program for hypertension in a community.
The effect of a population screening for hypertension was assessed through a subsequent survey performed 1 year later. All the hypertensives identified at the first visit (239 subjects, 15.6% of the whole screened population) were invited for a re-examination: the adhesion rate was 84.5%. After the screening, a high proportion of subjects (74.7%) had contacted their physicians because of their blood pressure. The most common advice physicians gave was to have further measurements of blood pressure (72.8%). Laboratory tests were prescribed in 62 patients (41.1%), but a complete assessment of a target organ damage was carried out in few cases (1.9%). Only 19.5% of patients started a course of treatment during the year following the screening and no more than one-third of those with moderate to severe hypertension. Out of the 176 subjects showing other cardiovascular risk factors at the screening, only 12 reported they had modified their habits 1 year later. Our results suggest that a screening for hypertension, when performed without any liaison with other medical facilities, seems to have a poor impact on physicians' and patients' attitudes towards hypertension.
Radice
M
M
Istituto di Scienze Biomediche Bassini, University of Milan, Italy.
Alli
C
C
Avanzini
F
F
Di Tullio
M
M
Guiducci
D
D
Mariotti
G
G
Taioli
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents