Alain K Koyama1, Vishal Bali2, Irina Yermilov2, Antonio P Legorreta3. 1. 1 Health Advocate, Westlake Village, CA, USA. 2. 2 West, Westlake Village, CA, USA. 3. 3 Department of Health Policy and Management, University of California Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: We evaluated the rate of hyperlipidemia identified during workplace screening in previously undiagnosed individuals, the association between workplace hyperlipidemia screening and use of medical care during follow-up, and changes in lipid profile among individuals with hyperlipidemia at screening. DESIGN: Nonexperimental longitudinal study. SETTING: Employees who participated in a workplace health screening. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 18 993 individuals from 39 self-insured employers in the United States. MEASURES: Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides were measured during screening. A claims-based algorithm was used to identify hyperlipidemia cases. ANALYSIS: Discrete-time survival analysis was used to estimate monthly rates of new hyperlipidemia diagnoses or prescriptions. Paired t tests were used to evaluate 1-year changes in lipid profile. RESULTS: A total of 1872 (9.9%) individuals had hyperlipidemia at screening. Among all individuals, a significantly greater rate of new hyperlipidemia diagnoses was observed during the first month after screening, compared to the 3 months before screening (odds ratio [95% CI]: 2.99 [2.66-3.36]). Among the 987 individuals who were followed up 1 year later, significant improvements were observed in total cholesterol (-8.5% ± 13.6%) and LDL levels (-10.2% ± 19.3%). CONCLUSION: Workplace health screenings in an insured population were associated with a subsequent increase in physician visits and prescriptions for hyperlipidemia. After 1 year, significant improvements in total cholesterol and LDL levels were observed among individuals who screened positive for hyperlipidemia.
PURPOSE: We evaluated the rate of hyperlipidemia identified during workplace screening in previously undiagnosed individuals, the association between workplace hyperlipidemia screening and use of medical care during follow-up, and changes in lipid profile among individuals with hyperlipidemia at screening. DESIGN: Nonexperimental longitudinal study. SETTING: Employees who participated in a workplace health screening. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 18 993 individuals from 39 self-insured employers in the United States. MEASURES: Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides were measured during screening. A claims-based algorithm was used to identify hyperlipidemia cases. ANALYSIS: Discrete-time survival analysis was used to estimate monthly rates of new hyperlipidemia diagnoses or prescriptions. Paired t tests were used to evaluate 1-year changes in lipid profile. RESULTS: A total of 1872 (9.9%) individuals had hyperlipidemia at screening. Among all individuals, a significantly greater rate of new hyperlipidemia diagnoses was observed during the first month after screening, compared to the 3 months before screening (odds ratio [95% CI]: 2.99 [2.66-3.36]). Among the 987 individuals who were followed up 1 year later, significant improvements were observed in total cholesterol (-8.5% ± 13.6%) and LDL levels (-10.2% ± 19.3%). CONCLUSION: Workplace health screenings in an insured population were associated with a subsequent increase in physician visits and prescriptions for hyperlipidemia. After 1 year, significant improvements in total cholesterol and LDL levels were observed among individuals who screened positive for hyperlipidemia.
Entities:
Keywords:
hyperlipidemias; population health; prevention research; screening; workplace