A comparison of participants and nonparticipants in a worksite cholesterol screening

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if worksite cholesterol screening reaches only those who are already aware of their cholesterol and interested in lifestyle modification.

Design: A voluntary worksite cholesterol screening was conducted followed by a survey of a random sample of nonparticipants.

Setting: A large university worksite was the setting for this study.

Subjects: Out of 9,137 university employees, 1,583 attended the voluntary screening, and a random sample of nonparticipants was obtained (n = 154), of which 87% (n = 138) responded.

Measures: Subjects completed a questionnaire on health behaviors, perceived risk, self-efficacy for diet change, and attention to media messages. A capillary blood cholesterol level was also taken.

Results: Nonparticipants were more likely to be male (64% versus 39%) and smokers (17% versus 9%), more likely to exercise, to have had a prior cholesterol measurement (64% versus 49%), and to "know" their cholesterol value (56% versus 26%). The two groups were otherwise similar. Over half (51%) of the participants were receiving their first cholesterol measurement. These subjects were younger, less educated, had less perceived risk, were less attentive to media messages, and more likely to be from a minority group than those individuals who had prior measurements.

Discussion: These findings suggest that worksite cholesterol screening does not only reach those already aware of their cholesterols, but also can reach some persons not previously screened or concerned.