title: Screening for cardiovascular risk factors and self-rated health in a community setting: a cross-sectional study in Finland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-rated health is an independent predictor of mortality. However, general health checks in populations unselected for disease or risk factors have not been shown to reduce mortality or morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe new comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors in apparently healthy people and to relate this to their self-rated health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A targeted screening programme identified 462 middle-aged people with cardiovascular risk factors without previously diagnosed chronic disease in a Finnish community in 2005-2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Home blood pressure monitoring, oral glucose tolerance test, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and ankle brachial index were used to detect previously undiagnosed conditions. The Short-Form Health Survey and Beck's Depression Inventory were completed by participants before the diagnostic tests were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of previously undiagnosed disease was: hypertension 113/462 (24% [95% confidence interval {CI} = 21% to 29%]), diabetes 19/462 (4% [95% CI = 2% to 6%]), renal insufficiency 23/462 (5% [95% CI = 3% to 7%]), and peripheral arterial disease 17/462 (4% [95% CI = 2% to 5%]). Of the 139 participants who regarded their health as 'fair-poor', 60 (43%) had a previously undetected condition affecting their vasculature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out of the screen-detected apparently healthy cardiovascular risk subjects, one in three had undiagnosed hypertension, diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, or renal insufficiency. Those individuals experiencing ill health tended to be at high risk of cardiovascular problems.
authors.affiliation: Satakunta Hospital District, Pori; Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities, Harjavalta; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Korhonen
authors.affiliation: Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital; Department of General Practice, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kautiainen
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Unit, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland; Primary Health Care Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäntyselkä
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: cardiovascular disease; community health; health promotion; prevention; primary care; risk factors; screening