Health Risk Appraisal using Internet technology.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a Web-based Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) system as a tool for health education based on personal health examination data.


METHODS
A Japanese health examination database was analyzed to develop models for HRA, which were designed to predict each of ten laboratory values in a year with and without lifestyle modifications. The HRA models were embedded into a server.


RESULTS
The Web-based HRA system has been introduced into a Japanese health care association having 37 branch centers. Following a health examination, an individual health education program using the Web-based HRA system is provided to a given client at each branch center or at a client's office. A measured laboratory value and corresponding predicted laboratory values in a year with and without lifestyle modifications are displayed on the screen in forms of both numerical values and graphs. A trained nurse or another health care provider operates the system and explains the HRA result.


CONCLUSIONS
The Web-based HRA system will be a practical tool for individual health education following health examination.
Suka
M
M
Department of Preventive Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan. suka@marianna-u.ac.jp
Yoshida
K
K
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D020375:Education, Distance; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination; D011635:Public Health Administration; D040442:Public Health Informatics; D018570:Risk Assessment