Remote Interviewing on the Day of Specific Health Guidance in Mobile Medical Examinations

Abstract

 In order to improve the implementation rate of specific health guidance (hereinafter, referred to as "SHG"), we have incorporated remote interviews for the first interview regarding specific health on the day of mobile medical examinations from FY2020. We herein report on the status of this initiative along with the difference in the effectiveness thereof compared to face-to-face interviews. From FY2020-2023, we looked into the differences in the number of medical examination venues conducting the first interview regarding SHG on the day of mobile medical examinations, the percentage of venues conducting remote interviews, the number of instructors for each implementation method, and the differences in the effectiveness of decreasing weight/abdominal circumference. Additionally, questionnaires were conducted among remote interviewers as well as public health nurses and nutritionists. The number of people who received SHG increased from 892 in FY2020 (of which, 0.3% were remote interviews) to 1,505 in FY2023 (of which, 11.9% were 179 remote interviews). Among the 992 people who received SHG in FY2023, 499 of 863 (57.8%) people who had face-to-face interviews saw a decrease in weight and abdominal circumference, while 79 of 129 (61.2%) people who had remote interviews saw a decrease in weight and abdominal circumference, with no significant difference observed (p = 0.46). In a questionnaire among remote interviewers, 90% answered that it was good, with many public health nurses and nutritionists expressing that they had positive impressions, mainly in terms of time benefits. With the introduction of remote interviews, the number of SHG on the day of mobile medical examinations increased, allowing public health nurses and nutritionists to make more effective use of their time. Given that no differences between remote interviews and face-to-face interviews were observed, going forward, we would like to further promote remote interviews by sharing data through systematization.