Abstract
[Purpose] We, the Shinkokai Medical Corporation, worked with places of business (telecommunications industry) aiming to improve implementation rates of specific health guidance and began providing group support in FY 2019. We then reported on and examined the results of the first fiscal year of that initiative.
[Target] 260 individuals (140 received active support, 120 received motivational support; average age of 48.5 years ± 5.0 years) who received group support (total of 27 times) implemented between April 2019 and February 2020. Of these, we examined the results of 203 men who completed evaluation.
[Methodology] Places of business themselves encouraged the target individuals to participate, and individuals were allowed to participate during work hours. The initial interview was a group interview, while subsequent continued support was provided by phone, email, or other form of communication. The status of progress of continued support was shared with the places of business, and we aimed to prevent participants from dropping out partway through by encouraging use via both the places of business and Shinkokai itself. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, we 1) compared participation rates before and after beginning the program; 2) examined completion rates and drop-out rates; and 3) compared abdominal circumference and weight, at the beginning of the program and after completion, of 203 individuals who completed evaluation. A state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic was also declared during the implementation period, before evaluation had been completed. We analyzed the effects of that development as well.
[Results] Of the 260 participants, 211 completed the program, 18 were deemed to have completed it in effect, 27 dropped out partway through, and 4 were disqualified. Participation rates increased from approximately 20% before the program began to 50%. The completion rate was increased to 80% of the total and the drop-out rate was 11.9% (including disqualified individuals), a low drop-out rate compared to those for all health insurance programs implemented by this institution. Comparing before and after support was provided, a significant decrease was recorded in both abdominal circumference and weight (p < 0.001). After the state of emergency was declared, target achievement for both abdominal circumference and weight slowed down.
[Investigation] Shortly after a medical examination is completed, it becomes difficult to have working-age individuals receive specific health guidance on an individual basis, and health insurance programs and places of business have struggled with low implementation rates. As a way to address this problem, it is suggested that working with places of business to provide opportunities for group support contributes to improving implementation rates and promoting health management. It is also necessary to consider employing methods of support and encouragement that are suited to the distinctive characteristics of the target group in order to effectively lead them to successful completion of evaluation.
