We investigated whether employees (n = 62) selecting a self-report Health Risk Assessment (HRA) would be at increased CVD risk compared to employees (n = 114) choosing an HRA with measurement of cardiovascular (CVD) health indicators. Participants were mostly middle-aged (44.1 ± 0.8 yr) men (71.6%) displaying borderline features of the cardiometabolic syndrome. Although there were no significant differences between the groups regarding their measured CVD health status or self-reported lifestyle habits, employees in both groups consistently over-stated their level of cardiovascular health. Contrary to reports in the literature, cardiovascular health status did not appear to influence employee HRA method of preference.
Editors' Strategic Implications: These findings await replication in other samples, both more diverse and less self-selected. Nonetheless, the authors' methods and their conclusions about workers' over-estimation of their health and the lack of differences across assessment methods will be useful to employers, health professionals, and all practitioners with an interest in health risk assessments.
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Marschke, L.M., Allen, G.J., Coble, D.A. et al. Cardiovascular Health Status and Health Risk Assessment Method of Preference Among Worksite Employees. J Primary Prevent 27, 67–79 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-005-0023-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-005-0023-7