Coronary heart disease risk screening: the community pharmacy Healthy Heart Assessment Service.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the characteristics and CHD risks of people who accessed the free Healthy Heart Assessment (HHA) service operated by a large UK pharmacy chain from August 2004 to April 2006.


METHODS
Associations between participants' gender, age, and socioeconomics were explored in relation to calculated 10-year CHD risks by cross-tabulation of the data. Specific associations were tested by forming contingency tables and using Pearson chi-square (chi(2)).


RESULTS
Data from 8,287 records were analysable; 5,377 were at low and 2,910 at moderate-to-high CHD risk. The likelihood of moderate-to-high risk for a male versus female participant was significantly higher with a relative risk ratio (RRR) 1.72 (P < 0.001). A higher percentage of those in socioeconomic categories 'constrained by circumstances' (RRR 1.15; P < 0.05) and 'blue collar communities' (RRR 1.13; P < 0.05) were assessed with moderate-to-high risk compared to those in 'prospering suburbs'.


CONCLUSIONS
People from 'hard-to-reach' sectors of the population, men and people from less advantaged communities, accessed the HHA service and were more likely to return moderate-to-high CHD risk. Pharmacists prioritized provision of lifestyle information above the sale of a product. Our study supports the notion that pharmacies can serve as suitable environments for the delivery of similar screening services.
Donyai
Parastou
P
Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Berkshire, UK.
Van den Berg
Melandi
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D024382:Professional Role; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom