Guidance to a healthy lifestyle has been raised as an important goal of health examination in addition to the established goal of early detection of disease. This study attempted to demonstrate the influence of a health examination, the most common means of preventive medicine in Korea, on modification of cardiovascular disease related health risk behaviors. Data (n=893) were from two different types of popular and highly acclaimed health examinations of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul. Health examination Program A was more comprehensive than B in health assessment and counseling. With a model constructed using McGuire°¯s Persuasive Communication variables, McNemar tests were performed to see whether Source-Outcome relationship existed, hypothesizing that different health examination programs might yield different level of behavior change in smoking, exercise, and obesity. No significant behavior change was found, however, regardless of health examination program. Logistic regression modeling found that gender was a prominent predictor of all three behaviors. This study suggests that health education strategies should be tailored to the target population. Gender-specific strategies are strongly encouraged since women were less likely to be current smokers (OR=0.029) and obese (OR=0.237) yet more likely to be non-exercisers (OR=2.629). It also recommends that emphasis should be on °®how-to-change°¯ techniques rather than on °®why°¯ to induce desirable behavior change with repeated reinforcement such as follow-up. Long term and qualitative evaluation of health examination will provide more foundation for increasing the effectiveness of health examinations in risk behavior modification. A conceptual model was suggested for future Persuasive Communication studies.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Assess components of a health examination that influence risk behavior modification 2. Apply Persuasive Communication variables to a health examination to understand its function as health education 3. Describe effective health education strategies in a health examination to induce desirable changes in cardiovascular disease related risk behaviors
Keywords: Health Education Strategies, Behavior Modification
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.