title: Impact of health screening and education on knowledge of coronary heart disease risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of a community health screening and education intervention on knowledge of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and participation in health-promoting behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Little Rock, AR, from July 2007 to December 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  56 participants recruited from two community health screenings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prescreening written questionnaire to determine baseline knowledge of CHD risk factors. Participants underwent risk factor screening (lipid profile, blood glucose, body mass index [BMI], and blood pressure) and received tailored education. A postscreening telephone questionnaire was administered 4 to 8 weeks later.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participant knowledge of CHD risk factors and participation in health-promoting behaviors pre- and postscreening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 56 participants enrolled, 45 (80.4%) completed the postscreening telephone survey. Compared with prescreening responses, participants showed significantly greater postscreening knowledge of healthy values for CHD risk factors, including blood pressure (P = 0.02), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.03), fasting total cholesterol (P < 0.01), and BMI (P < 0.01). Following the screening, 20 (44.4%) participants had consulted their primary care provider and 31 (68.8%) made at least one healthy behavior change. Approximately one-half of participants reported changing eating habits, and 5 (11.1%) reported increased exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that community-based health screening and education interventions can effectively promote public health knowledge and empower participants to engage in health-promoting behaviors.
authors: College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
authors: Leslie A
authors: LA
authors: Mooney
authors: Amy M
authors: AM
authors: Franks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires