[Cardiovascular Prevention: Acceptance of Enhanced Occupational Health Care].
BACKGROUND
To date, prevention efforts of company medical officers and general practitioners are largely independent of each other. In a comprehensive model of healthcare management including both sets of doctors, the company doctor should determine the risk of cardiovascular disease in the employees of the company. In case increased risk is detected, there should be exchange of information between the 2 professional groups so that common preventive interventions can be decided upon.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this pilot study was to determine how well cardiovascular risk assessment is accepted by employees of a midsize company and where prevention is needed.


METHODS
In a company with 660 employees, risk analysis was conducted among staff in the context of regular preventive measures. In addition to risk factors, primary care, agreement with an interdisciplinary exchange of information and motivation for health promotion activities were investigated.


RESULTS
204 employees (4 females only) were examined. The average age of the participants was 42.9±10.3 years. In 27% (n=55), an increased overall risk was present. Employees with risk requiring medical intervention were under the care of primary care physician and most of them (70%) agreed to the transfer of information to these physicians. In the survey itself, employees showed sufficient motivation (VAS 6.4±2.8) for workplace health promotion.


CONCLUSIONS
The examined company agreed to implementing further health promoting activities. Due to demographic changes, new concepts for effective prevention are needed. The high acceptance of the proposed prevention framework should motivate implementation of this concept. As a next step, studies must be conducted to examine the effectiveness of screening for risk carried out by company medical officers.
Institut für Hausarztmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Bonn.
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Bleckwenn
Institut für Hausarztmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Bonn.
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Theisel
Institut für Hausarztmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Bonn.|Klinik für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Bonn.|Zentrum für seltene Erkrankungen Bonn (ZSEB), Universitätsklinikum Bonn.
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Mücke
Institut für Hausarztmedizin, Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Bonn.|Betriebsärztlicher Dienst, Universität Bonn und Universitätsklinikum Bonn.
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Steudel
D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017132:Workplace