Nutrition and Coronary Heart Disease
3 Theinterventions
The intervention groups
For the purposes of this project, the nutritional interventions were categorised according
to four settings. These are
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(1) (2) (3) (4) |
A GP based intervention; A community based intervention; A mass media intervention; and A hospital∕rehabilitation based intervention. |
Each setting is aligned with a specific population group. The GP setting is aligned with
high-risk individuals. This means that high-risk individuals (those with elevated
cholesterol, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle and/or obesity) are identified during
a routine GP visit and then treated through either further visits to their GP or through
consultations with dietitians from the SWSAHS.
The community setting targets high-risk groups. Epidemiological studies provide
evidence that certain groups in the community are at greater risk of developing CHD
than others. Groups such as lower SES, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and
certain ethnic groups all have higher risk of developing CHD. The “high-risk group” is
distinct from the “high-risk individual” in so far as the group can be identified from
epidemiological evidence. The high-risk individual, on the other hand, requires
individual screening.
The mass media setting targets the whole population. It is not concerned with
identifying high-risk groups or individuals. Instead, a mass media campaign delivers its
message to the entire population.
The hospital / rehabilitation setting targets those individuals who have been identified
as having CHD. Thus it can be considered as a component of secondary care.
However, in this intervention we are only considering those activities that can be
considered nutrition based health promotion, and thus we have not focused on the use of
cholesterol-lowering and anti hypertension drugs.
CHERE Project Report 11 - November 1999
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