Health Risk Assessment in a Rural Free Clinic
Author Information
Author(s): Paula D Scariati, Cyndy Williams
Primary Institution: Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hypothesis
Can health risk assessments improve health outcomes in a rural free clinic population?
Conclusion
Health risk assessments can help individuals understand how their lifestyle choices affect their health and guide resource allocation in free clinics.
Supporting Evidence
- The total sum of potential risk years gained was 371.4 for the 186 subjects.
- Quitting smoking could result in the highest potential risk years gained at 173.5.
- Reducing alcohol consumption could lead to 64.2 years gained.
- Health risk assessments provided individualized feedback that was well-received by participants.
Takeaway
This study shows that by asking people about their health habits, we can help them see how to live healthier lives and make better choices.
Methodology
Participants completed a 43-question Health Risk Appraisal to assess their health risks and received personalized feedback.
Limitations
The printouts from the health risk assessments were not user-friendly for the patient population.
Participant Demographics
The population was predominantly white, with 64% female and a mean age of 37.7 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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