Improving cardiovascular health at population level: 39 community cluster randomised trial of Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program (CHAP)

STUDY QUESTION What is the effect on hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and congestive heart failure of a locally delivered but standardised and centrally supported community-wide cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention programme targeting older adults? SUMMARY ANSWER A collaborative, multi-pronged, community based health promotion and prevention programme targeting older adults reduced cardiovascular disease related hospital admissions at the population level. WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS The importance of small shifts in the distribution of risk factors on the overall cardiovascular health of the population has been underscored repeatedly in the literature, but robust evidence supporting community-wide interventions to precipitate such shifts remains sparse. Reductions in rates of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease with CHAP were significant both statistically and from a population health perspective.