Response and participation of underserved populations after a three-step invitation strategy for a cardiometabolic health check.
BACKGROUND
Ethnic minority and native Dutch groups with a low socioeconomic status (SES) are underrepresented in cardiometabolic health checks, despite being at higher risk. We investigated response and participation rates using three consecutive inexpensive-to-costly culturally adapted invitation steps for a health risk assessment (HRA) and further testing of high-risk individuals during prevention consultations (PC).


METHODS
A total of 1690 non-Western immigrants and native Dutch with a low SES (35-70 years) from six GP practices were eligible for participation. We used a 'funnelled' invitation design comprising three increasingly cost-intensive steps: (1) all patients received a postal invitation; (2) postal non-responders were approached by telephone; (3) final non-responders were approached face-to-face by their GP. The effect of ethnicity, ethnic mix of GP practice, and patient characteristics (gender, age, SES) on response and participation were assessed by means of logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
Overall response was 70% (n = 1152), of whom 62% (n = 712) participated in the HRA. This was primarily accomplished through the postal and telephone invitations. Participants from GP practices in the most deprived neighbourhoods had the lowest response and HRA participation rates. Of the HRA participants, 29% (n = 207) were considered high-risk, of whom 59% (n = 123) participated in the PC. PC participation was lowest among native Dutch with a low SES.


CONCLUSIONS
Underserved populations can be reached by a low-cost culturally adapted postal approach with a reminder and follow-up telephone calls. The added value of the more expensive face-to-face invitation was negligible. PC participation rates were acceptable. Efforts should be particularly targeted at practices in the most deprived areas.
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. i.groenenberg@lumc.nl.
Iris
I
Groenenberg
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.r.crone@lumc.nl.
Mathilde R
MR
Crone
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. s.van_dijk@lumc.nl.
Sandra
S
van Dijk
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. j.ben_meftah@lumc.nl.
Jamila
J
Ben Meftah
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. b.j.c.middelkoop@lumc.nl.
Barend J C
BJ
Middelkoop
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Hippocratespad 21, PO Box 9600, V0-P, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. w.assendelft@elg.umcn.nl.|Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. w.assendelft@elg.umcn.nl.
Willem J J
WJ
Assendelft
Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. a.m.stiggelbout@lumc.nl.
Anne M
AM
Stiggelbout
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013689:Telephone; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*