[Callers' perception of the service at the cardiovascular hotline of the German Hypertension Society: results of follow-up telephone interviews].
OBJECTIVE
To provide a source of valid information to hypertensive patients, their families as well as the public a cardiovascular hotline (HKT) has been established by the German Hypertension Society in April 1992. Until the end of the year 2007 approx. 55.000 phone calls have been answered. The aim of this study was to assess the callers' support needs and the perception of the information received.


METHODS
Callers who had previously provided their contact data were called back later. From a total of 803 eligible persons 311 volunteered for a phone interview made up of ten questions concerning (1) the accessibility of the phone service, (2) the atmosphere of the conversation and (3) the adequacy of time for the phone conversation, (4) the suitability of the answers received, (5) life style changes initiated by the original phone call, (6) discussion with the attending physician about the phone conversation, (7) information about preventive measures against consequential damages of high blood pressure, (8) instructions about the prescribed medication as well as side effects, (9) improvement of the blood pressure after the call and (10) willingness to recommend to others a call at the cardiovascular hotline. The gender distribution of the participants in the interview revealed a sex ratio of 47 % females vs. 53 % males compared to 51 % females vs. 49 % males among all callers at the hotline in 2007. Members of both populations were quite evenly distributed over the federal states of Germany. Taken together, these findings suggest that the interview data are representative of the opinions of callers' at the cardiovascular hotline.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of the results of the survey provide ample evidence that the cardiovascular hotline is well accepted by the callers and hence effective in conveying information about hypertension. This is particularly important in view of the ever increasing demand of such information by members of the rapidly ageing population in Germany.
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D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D012944:Social Support; D012955:Societies, Medical
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents