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document
Ebeltoft project : baseline data from a five-year randomized , controlled , prospective health promotion study in a Danish population . BACKGROUND There is increasing political pressure on the medical profession to approach welfare diseases , such as coronary heart disease and diabetes , through prevention . General practitioners are required to offer regular health checks to healthy people , in spite of the lack of scientific evidence for the universal need , usefulness and side effects of such an intervention . Randomized controlled trials are needed . AIM A study was carried out to investigate people 's interest in participating in health checks and in discussions about health with their own general practitioner , participants ' health status , the proportion who received health advice following health checks , and the lifestyle goals they set following discussion with their general practitioner . This study reports the baseline data from a five-year randomized , controlled , prospective , population-based study in general practices in Ebeltoft , Denmark . METHOD All general practitioners from the four practices in Ebeltoft and a random sample of 2000 people aged between 30 and 50 years were invited to participate . Participants were randomly divided into three groups -- one control group and two intervention groups . One intervention group were given a health check which included being screened for cardiovascular risk factors , lung and liver function , fitness , sight and hearing and an optional test for the human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) ; this group received written feedback from the general practitioner . The other intervention group were also given a health check and written feedback ; in addition , they were given the opportunity to attend their general practitioner to discuss preventive health . RESULTS A total of 1370 people participated in the study ( 69 % response rate ) . Health advice was given to 76 % of 905 participants following health checks . Almost all of the 456 participants ( 96 % ) who were offered the opportunity of discussing their health with their general practitioner took up the offer ; 64 % of the 456 participants reported that they had decided to undertake lifestyle changes . Eleven of those who discussed their health with the doctor were referred to a specialist ( 2 % ) . CONCLUSION There was considerable interest in participating in health promotion . Three out of four of those having a health check were given health advice . Two out of three of those offered a health talk with the general practitioner appeared willing to make relevant lifestyle changes . Long-term follow up is needed to determine effects and side effects of health checks and health talks .
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Intervention_Physical
regular health checks
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Intervention_Physical
health checks
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Intervention_Control
control
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Intervention_Physical
health check which included being screened for cardiovascular risk factors , lung and liver function , fitness , sight and hearing and an optional test for the human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) ; this group received written feedback from the general practitioner .
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Intervention_Physical
health check and
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Intervention_Other
written feedback
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Intervention_Physical
; in addition , they were given the opportunity to attend their general practitioner to discuss preventive health .
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Intervention_Physical
health checks
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Outcome_Mental
Health advice
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Outcome_Mental
undertake lifestyle changes
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Outcome_Mental
referred to a specialist
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Participant_Condition
healthy
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Participant_Sample-size
2000
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Participant_Age
30 and 50
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Participant_Sample-size
1370
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Participant_Sample-size
456
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Participant_Sample-size
456
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Participant_Sample-size
Eleven