THE EFFECT OF A COMMUNITY-BASED CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE PREVENTION PROJECT IN A DANISH MUNICIPALITY

A community-based project for the prevention of cardiovascular disease s was undertaken in 1989 in a rural Danish municipality (Slangerup) wi th about 8000 inhabitants. Project goals were to draw attention to pro ject activities and improve smoking, eating and exercise behaviours. T he intervention was planned using the social learning theory, a commun ication-behaviour change model and community organisation principle. T he strategy used for intervention involved both mass communication and active involvement of the local population in group activities. The o bjectives of the intervention were assessed by data obtained from repr esentative cross-section surveys in intervention and a control area at baseline (1989) and one year later. More respondents in the intervent ion (82%) than control (67%) area were aware of local health projects. Ten % reported that they stopped smoking within the last year, 39% at e less fat, and 28% did more exercise, with no differences between int ervention and control area. Several explanations are proposed for the limited effect of the project on behaviours. One possible explanation is that the project almost ended up being a pure mass media campaign w hich may increase awareness, but, as experience shows, may have limite d influence on adoption of new behaviour. The Danish population around 1990 is very well informed and educated in this field due to earlier nationwide interventions. No further behavioural effects are obtainabl e with mass media campaigns.