Lifestyle Medicine-Related Cardiovascular Risk Factor Changes in Employees Participating in a Pharmacist-Run Risk Reduction Program

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death among American adults accounting for approximately one-third of all deaths. It has been shown, however, that the actual causes of death are related to lifestyle behaviors such as tobacco use, poor diet and physical activity and alcohol consumption. A pharmacist-run employee health program, started in 2008, sought to lower CVD risk through the use of individualized lifestyle behavior programming, medication therapy management, and care coordination activities. Following one year of participation in the program, employee participants were shown to significantly increase exercise quantity (p < 0.001), fruit and vegetable consumption (p < 0.001), and decrease self-reported stress level (p = 0.006). The percentage of program participants simultaneously adherent to the recommended levels of exercise, combined fruit and vegetable intake and tobacco abstinence at one-year was 34.5% vs. 5.5% at baseline. This compares with only 5.1% of the U.S. population adherent to the same three behaviors. Pharmacists can positively impact healthy lifestyle behaviors when working in an employee health setting.
 
 Type: Original Research

Lifestyle Medicine and Health and Wellness Coaching in Pharmacy Practice

“…[10][11][12] Lifestyle behaviors also improved. 13 Participants reported increased levels of purposeful activity, increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and a reduction in stress levels. These findings were sustained after 5 years of follow-up.…”

“…However, several successful pharmacy practice models with structured health and wellness coaching have been reported in the literature. [1][2][3][10][11][12][13] Perhaps the best known example comes from the Asheville Project. 1 Launched in 1997 in the city of Asheville, North Carolina, The Asheville Project started as a diabetes wellness program for 2 local employers.…”

Pharmacists Improving Health at the Worksite

“…Additionally, at 1 year, 34.5% of employees were simultaneously and consistently achieving the recommended amounts of exercise, plus fruit/vegetable intake, plus abstaining from tobacco use compared with 5.5% at baseline and 5.1% of the reported general US population. 6…”