Health Counselling — A Pilot Programme

Health counselling by practising physicians is a pilot programme for preventive counselling. It is directed to persons who are still healthy but may be exposing themselves to risk factors such as smoking, overweight, lack of physical exercise and stress. Target groups are 30- to 50 year-old insurees covered by any of six sickness funds. They are chosen by random sampling and invited to participate by their insurance company. This pilot programme began in February 1982 and lasted until June 1983. The regions studied are covered by two State Associations of Doctors Admitted to Health Insurance Practice (Kassenarztliche Vereinigungen): Hamburg, a city district, and Pfalz, a rural district.