The Finnmark Intervention Study. Better health for the fishery population in an Arctic village in North Norway

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factor changes after 6 years of intervention in the North Cape community.

Design: Longitudinal cohort study with a quasi-experimental design with one intervention and three control communities selected from the same coastal area with a baseline screening (1987), 6-year intervention, and re-screening (1993).

Setting: Fishing communities on the coast of Finnmark in the Norwegian Arctic area.

Participants: 1685 (70%) of the invited in both screenings, aged between 20 and 62 years in 1987.

Intervention: Community-intervention based on empowerment and cooperation between voluntary organisations and local health services.

Main outcome measures: Change in cardiovascular risk factors.

Results: Compared to the control communities, the main findings in North Cape were among men: 21.3% less drinking boiled coffee (p < 0.05), 10.5% more drinking low fat milk (p < 0.01), 0.3 mmol/l reduction in cholesterol (p < 0.01) and 0.2 kg/m2 reduction in BMI (p < 0.001). Among women, there were 5.9% fewer smokers (p < 0.01), 21% less drinking boiled coffee (p < 0.05), 1 kg/m2 less increase in BMI (p < 0.001) and 0.5 less increase in MI risk score (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Small close-knit communities are suitable for community-based interventions where it is easier to obtain close interaction between health service, voluntary organisations and the public at large.