Targeted Health Dialogues in Primary Care

Overview

The County Council of Region Skåne, Sweden, has recently initiated Targeted Health Dialogues in primary care. The prevention program includes health dialogues provided by specially trained personnel, collection of clinical and laboratory data as well as questionnaire data on, e.g., individual health and health behaviors. So far, it enrolls all 40-year old Swedish and foreign-born inhabitants in the county and it will also include all 50- and 60-year old persons within a near future. A research project will be integrated within the program where the collected data will be linked, on the individual level, to national and regional data on hospital admissions, clinical diagnoses from specialist clinics and primary care, causes of death, and prescriptions. The individual linkages will also include population data on sociodemographic characteristics, neighborhood of residence and family relations. Blood samples will be collected for analyses of molecular biomarkers. The research project will examine associations between potential predictors and future risk of cardiovascular diseases and other serious diseases, such as cancer, and also whether the effect of the prevention program is modified by these potential predictors. The effect of the intervention will be examined, and whether the protocol needs to be modified in order to develop more precise and personalized medicine.

Full Title of Study: “Targeted Health Dialogues in Primary Care: Lifestyle Screening and Molecular Profiling for a Healthier Life”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Observational
  • Study Design
    • Time Perspective: Prospective
  • Study Primary Completion Date: December 31, 2025

Detailed Description

The County Council of Region Skåne, the third most populous region in Sweden with 1.4 million inhabitants, has recently initiated Targeted Health Dialogues in primary care with the ultimate goal to improve cardiovascular health in the entire population in Skåne. Targeted health dialogues have previously been proven to improve health behaviors and risk factors and decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The prevention program includes, in addition to the health dialogues provided by specially trained personnel, collection of clinical and laboratory data (e.g. blood pressure, BMI, waist hip ratio, lipids, fasting blood glucose) as well as detailed questionnaire data on, e.g., individual health and symptoms, family history, diet, physical activity, alcohol and smoking. So far, it enrolls all 40-year old Swedish and foreign-born inhabitants in the county and it will also include all 50- and 60-year old persons within a near future. The County Council and the Ethical Review Board have granted permission to integrate a research project within the program where collected data will be linked, at the individual level, to national and regional data on hospital admissions, clinical diagnoses from specialist clinics and primary care, causes of death, and prescriptions. The individual linkages will also include population data on sociodemographic characteristics, neighborhood of residence and family relations. In addition to the collection and linkages of these data, blood samples will be collected for analyses of molecular biomarkers. The research project will allow for examining associations between a number of potential predictors and future risk of cardiovascular disease and other serious diseases, such as cancer, and also whether the effect of the prevention program is modified by these potential predictors. The effect of the intervention will be examined and whether the protocol needs to be modified in order to develop more precise and personalized medicine.

Interventions

  • Behavioral: Targeted health dialogues
    • Before the targeted health dialogue, the participants fill in a questionnaire about health behaviors, background characteristics and self-rated health. Samples for blood glucose and total cholesterol are taken. BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and blood pressure are measured. The results are summoned in a “health curve”, which is discussed with specially trained healthcare personnel in a Targeted heath dialogue. In a sub-group, blood samples are collected for molecular analyses.

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Effect of targeted health dialogues on CVD incidence
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • The short- and long-term effect of targeted health dialogues on incidence of CVD events, its comorbidity and CVD-related deaths in the participants compared to a general population cohort and historical controls.
  • Effect of targeted health dialogues on incidence of cancer and other serious diseases
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • The short- and long-term effect of targeted health dialogues on incidence of cancer and other serious diseases in the participants compared to a general population cohort and historical controls.

Secondary Measures

  • Modification by individual characteristics
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Modification of possible associations between targeted health dialogues and future CVD, cancer, other serious diseases and preterm death by individual characteristics (e.g., sociodemographic factors)
  • Association between risk factors and disease incidence
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Associations between risk factors/combination of risk factors (lifestyle-related, metabolic, psychosocial and familial) at baseline and incidence of CVD, cancer, other serious diseases and preterm death.
  • Identification of molecular biomarkers
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • The ability of biological aging, epigenetic changes and genetic and metabolomic profiles to predict CVD, cancer, other serious diseases and preterm death as well as the effect of targeted health dialogues.
  • Public health profile of middle-aged citizens in Sweden’s southernmost county
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Level of physical activity and sedentary behavior, intake of healthy/unhealthy food, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, stress, psychological well-being, blood glucose, cholesterol, BMI, waist-hip ratio.
  • Associations between dental and general health
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Associations between dental health at baseline and incidence of CVD, cancer, other serious diseases and preterm death.
  • Validation of the targeted health dialogue method
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Validity and reliability of the questionnaire and targeted health dialogue method
  • Health economy
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Costs related to the targeted health dialogues versus individual and societal gains.
  • Oral health
    • Time Frame: 2035
    • Associations between general and oral health
  • The effect of targeted health dialogues on health behaviors and self-rated health
    • Time Frame: 2035
  • Do targeted health dialogues reach all societal groups?
    • Time Frame: 2035
  • Can other lifestyle interventions influence the effect of targeted health dialogues?
    • Time Frame: 2035

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • 40-, 50-, 60-, and 70-year old men and women – Listed at a healthcare center in Skåne county Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to understand the written study information and give informed consent

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 40 Years

Maximum Age: 70 Years

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Region Skane
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Sponsor
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Kristina Sundquist, PhD, MD, Principal Investigator, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University
  • Overall Contact(s)
    • Kristina Sundquist, PhD, MD, +46 (0)40 391 376, kristina.sundquist@med.lu.se

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