HEALTH COUNSELING AND HEALTH PROMOTION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

The steady increase in the number of musculoskeletal disorders has hei ghtened the importance of health promotion accordingly. In Germany, he alth promotion efforts have become the responsibility of health insure rs. Commissioned by the health insurance organization, Hamburg-Munchen er Ersatzkasse, we developed and evaluated a new health counseling ser vice for persons with musculoskeletal (rheumatic) complaints. In order to draft the scope and principles of the counseling program, we quest ioned more than 1000 enrollees per questionnaire. The aim of the surve y was to estimate the actual demand for participation in the hearth co unseling. The results show that the subjective need for health counsel ing is strongly linked to the kind of physical limitation involved, so that it can be assumed that particularly persons with relevant compla ints and musculoskeletal disorders will participate in the program. To evaluate the counseling sessions, a range of measurements was develop ed. The aim was to obtain a comprehensive and precise record of the pr oblems and complaints of those taking part in the program. The evaluat ion shows that the new service is used mainly by persons who have suff ered limitations to their health for years due to musculoskeletal diso rders. Especially middle-aged persons use the counseling service, with women showing the most interest. When participants were asked after c ounseling which health support measures they had taken or were plannin g, their answers indicated that in most cases the recommendations of t he counselor were being put into practice. We conclude that health cou nseling can be considered a meaningful option for health promotion.