The Finnmark Intervention Study. Better health for the fishery population in an Arctic village in North Norway.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factor changes after 6 years of intervention in the North Cape community.


METHODS
Longitudinal cohort study with a quasi-experimental design with one intervention and three control communities selected from the same coastal area with a baseline screening (1987), 6-year intervention, and re-screening (1993).


METHODS
Fishing communities on the coast of Finnmark in the Norwegian Arctic area.


METHODS
1685 (70%) of the invited in both screenings, aged between 20 and 62 years in 1987.


METHODS
Community-intervention based on empowerment and cooperation between voluntary organisations and local health services.


METHODS
Change in cardiovascular risk factors.


RESULTS
Compared to the control communities, the main findings in North Cape were among men: 21.3% less drinking boiled coffee (p < 0.05), 10.5% more drinking low fat milk (p < 0.01), 0.3 mmol/l reduction in cholesterol (p < 0.01) and 0.2 kg/m2 reduction in BMI (p < 0.001). Among women, there were 5.9% fewer smokers (p < 0.01), 21% less drinking boiled coffee (p < 0.05), 1 kg/m2 less increase in BMI (p < 0.001) and 0.5 less increase in MI risk score (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Small close-knit communities are suitable for community-based interventions where it is easier to obtain close interaction between health service, voluntary organisations and the public at large.
Lupton
Beate Søholt
BS
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway. beate.lupton@ism.uit.no
Fønnebø
Vinjar
V
Søgaard
Anne Johanne
AJ
Langfeldt
Erik
E
D000328:Adult; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health
D002784:Cholesterol