Health Outcomes | Cholesterol Evaluation Measures

Health outcomes measures for cholesterol screening and control^1-4

The effectiveness of cholesterol screening and control programs depends on the intensity of program effort and the use of multiple interventions. A rule of thumb is that the more programs implemented together as a package or campaign, the more successful the interventions will be.

Baseline

• Determine levels of employee (age 20 years and older) cholesterol screening rates (in the past 5 years) and self-reported high cholesterol from employee health survey, health risk appraisal, or biometric screening. Examples include:
  • What percentage of employees have been screened by a clinician or in a worksite cholesterol screening program at least once in the previous 5 years
  • Note that generally worksite screening programs should not be used as a substitute for regular follow-up and treatment of employees with high cholesterol. These employees should be encouraged to obtain regular clinical follow-up care with their physician. Some worksites do provide case management for employees with high cholesterol by nurses or other qualified staff through an occupational health clinic
• Determine baseline percentage of employees with health behaviors or conditions where individuals have a higher risk associated with high cholesterol such as obesity, nutrition, tobacco use, or being physically inactive
• Determine levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures from health care and pharmaceutical claims data ◦Of those employee who were screened, what percentage of employees were referred for clinical diagnosis and treatment
  • How many cases of high blood cholesterol (i.e., hypercholesterolemia) were identified
  • Frequency of complications of high blood cholesterol such as heart attacks
• Determine employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about cholesterol screening and control 
  • Evaluate employees’ current knowledge of the health benefits of cholesterol screening and control
  • Measure employee’s knowledge of their risks for high blood cholesterol
  • Assess employee awareness of existing workplace cholesterol screening and control programs, policies and benefits
  • Assess employee awareness of behaviors that may reduce high blood cholesterol risk, such as reducing obesity or overweight, nutrition, tobacco use, or being physically inactive

Process

• Periodic repeats of baseline measures

Outcome

• Assess changes in the numbers of employees receiving cholesterol screening
• Assess changes in the percentage of employees who report high blood cholesterol levels
• Assess aggregated changes in the percentage of employees with health behaviors or conditions where individuals have a higher risk associated with high blood cholesterol such as obesity, nutrition, tobacco use, or being physically inactive
• Determine levels of diagnostic and treatment procedures from health care and pharmaceutical claims data
• Assess changes in employee knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about cholesterol screening and control
  • Evaluate changes in employee knowledge of the health benefits of cholesterol screening and control
  • Measure changes in employee’s knowledge of their risks for high blood cholesterol
  • Assess changes in employee awareness of existing workplace cholesterol screening and control programs, policies and benefits
  • Assess changes in employee awareness of behaviors that may reduce high blood cholesterol risk