Psychological reactions to information about risk of ischaemic heart disease in general practice

Abstract

Objective - To examine the psychological reactions in 40-49 year old men diagnosed as having an increased risk for the development of ischaemic heart disease at a health examination in general practice.

Design - A multipractice study including a questionnaire about the psychological well-being before and 6 months after a health examination aimed at finding an increased risk for ischaemic heart disease.

Setting - General practice in the county of Aarhus, Denmark. Sixty five general practitioners.

Participants - 123 men with and 150 men without an increased risk of ischaemic heart disease.

Outcome measures - Psychological well-being was measured by the General Health Questionnaire (12 item version).

Results - No significant change in GHQ-scores after the screening examination. Conclusion - Information about increased risk of IHD in 40-49 year old men at a health examination in general practice did not change the psychological well-being as measured by a General Health Questionnaire 6 months after the examination.

Key Words:

• general practice
• screening
• psychological reactions
• labelling
• health examination