A modified health risk appraisal as a component of a senior health promotion program.

Abstract

Because of their comprehensive service capabilities and traditional focus on prevention, HMOs have an outstanding potential for contributing to health promotion and disease prevention among special populations. But HMOs must acknowledge the special needs of key groups and modify traditional offerings accordingly. This article describes the use of the health risk appraisal (HRA) in a program, A Healthy Future, aimed at promoting health and preventing disease among elders. Unlike ¿standard¿ HRAs, this program developed questions of special pertinence to elders and used face-to-face, human contact for communicating results. Most important, the program linked the HRA to primary care and to interventions particularly useful and acceptable to elders.