General practice -based health checks are associated with statistically significant , albeit clinical ly small , improvements in surrogate outcome control , especially among high-risk patients .
BACKGROUND A recent review concluded that general health checks fail to reduce mortality in adults .
AIM This review focuses on general practice -based health checks and their effects on both surrogate and final outcomes .
Life style intervention in general practice: Effects on psychological well-being and patient satisfaction
The objectives of this study were to : ( 1 ) study if an opportunistic screening of coronary heart disease ( CHD ) risk factors among male attenders in general practice ( GP ) influenced the overall subjective satisfaction with life of persons labelled ‘ high risk ’ compared to other screened persons ; ( 2 ) compare psychological well-being and patient satisfaction in a patient centred and self-directive ( PCSD ) intervention with conventional care ( CC ) ; and ( 3 ) evaluate patient satisfaction and psychological well-being among subjects with high CHD risk during a one year intervention study . Effects of ‘ labelling ’ were evaluated in 115 subjects with high CHD risk in comparison with a low risk reference population . The 22 participating GP centres were r and omly allocated to follow either a PCSD intervention or a CC approach . An overall satisfaction with life question was employed and psychological well-being were measured using the General Health Question naire ( 20 item version ) . Satisfaction measures on health care aspects were also included . No difference of change between the high risk and the reference population was found concerning satisfaction with life after screening . No significant difference of change was found within or between the PCSD and the CC group concerning emotional well-being or overall satisfaction with life during one year intervention . Satisfaction with the care received was significantly better in the CC group as compared with the PCSD group ( p=0.02 ) . Satisfaction with own efforts for improving health was , however , more pronounced in the PCSD group ( p=0.01 ) . A substantial number ( n=61 ) of the participants reported distaste of being reminded of the risk of heart disease and no more than 60 of the participants were satisfied with their own efforts for improving health . Although no significant change of satisfaction with life and emotional well-being due to screening or intervention could be detected , clinicians should be aware that encouraging patients to change life style may lead to patients ' annoyance of being reminded of the risk of disease and dissatisfaction with their own efforts . Increasing patient responsibility and self-determination may improve their satisfaction with their own efforts , but reduce satisfaction with medical care
General practice -based health checks are associated with statistically significant , albeit clinical ly small , improvements in surrogate outcome control , especially among high-risk patients .
BACKGROUND A recent review concluded that general health checks fail to reduce mortality in adults .
AIM This review focuses on general practice -based health checks and their effects on both surrogate and final outcomes .