HEALTH WATCH - HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION IN PRIMARY-CARE

HEALTH WATCH, a longitudinal prospective study of healthy aging, was d esigned to characterize a healthy population of 2,200 men and women, a ges 20-80 years in 1970. Biochemical, hematological, and physiological tests are performed annually over three weekly visits, combined with a self-administered HEALTH WATCH questtionnaire to measure health stat us and behaviors in seven areas (with over 1,330 variables). In 1988, the HEALTH WATCH study was modified to assess characteristics of an ol dest old ''productive aging'' cohort in Kauai, Hawaii. Nutrition, phys ical activity, extended family, and spirituality were found to be majo r health determinants. During 1989 to 1991 a controlled intervention s tudy (ten local primary care physicians and their patients, aged 65-89 years) was completed in the Sun Cities, Arizona. These studies provid e evidence that primary care physicians can promote positive health ou tcomes in patients of any chronological age and baseline health status through active healthy aging interventions.