The Vascular lifestyle-intervention and Screening in pharmacies (VISA)-study

Group members: Karianne Svendsen, Kjetil Retterstøl, Vibeke Telle-Hansen

Short descriptioin:

The Vascular lifestyle-intervention and Screening in pharmacies (VISA)-study consists of a screening study of total cholesterol and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of lifestyle advice. The screening for total cholesterol followed by questionnaire data was performed in Norwegian pharmacies for six days both in 2012 and 2014 and resulted in cross-sectional data of > 20 000 people all across Norway. The RCT includes about 600 men and women of elevated risk of cardiovascular disease risk. These were recruited during the screening in 2014 and were followed up after one year.

The project resulted in one PhD degree (Karianne Svendsen; Screening and alerting to cardiovascular disease risk in Norwegian pharmacies). Supervisors were Kjetil Retterstøl (University of Oslo (UiO) Vibeke-Telle Hansen (OsloMet) and David R. Jacobs Jr. (University of Minnesota). The project has also involved master students, at present five M.Sc.’s in nutrition: Karianne Svendsen, Ida Tonning-Røyseth (OsloMet), Beate Østengen (OsloMet), Tove C. Nordstrand Rusvik (UiO) and Anna Lillehammer Bakka (UiO).

Publications:

Svendsen, K., Telle-Hansen, V. H., Morch-Reiersen, L. T., Garstad, K. W., Thyholt, K., Granlund, L., . . . Retterstol, K. (2018). A randomized controlled trial in Norwegian pharmacies on effects of risk alert and advice in people with elevated cardiovascular risk. Prev Med Rep, 12, 79-86. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.08.004

Svendsen, K., Jacobs, D. R., Jr., Royseth, I. T., Garstad, K. W., Byfuglien, M. G., Granlund, L., . . . Retterstol, K. (2018). Community pharmacies offer a potential high-yield and convenient arena for total cholesterol and CVD risk screening. Eur J Public Health. doi:10.1093/eurpub/cky190

Svendsen, K., Henriksen, H. B., Ostengen, B., Jacobs, D. R., Jr., Telle-Hansen, V. H., Carlsen, M. H., & Retterstol, K. (2018). Evaluation of a short Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess cardiovascular disease-related diet and lifestyle factors. Food Nutr Res, 62. doi:10.29219/fnr.v62.1370