Mass screening for hypertension in Copenhagen supermarkets

Abstract

During its "heart week" in February, 1975, the Danish Heart Foundation drew the attention of the public to the problem of heart-disease with special reference to high blood-pressure; and 24 377 people attending supermarkets in Copenhagen took advantage of an offer to have their blood-pressure checked. There was a small charge for measurement, but the supermarket owners usually paid the fee on behalf of their customers. This unconventional approach to blood-pressure screening proved to be cheap, straightforward, and acceptable to the public. 23% of people measured were referred to their general practitioners for further evaluation.