Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Hypertension screening in a salami factory: a worksite hypertension study

Abstract

The prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension are important epidemiological research topics worldwide. The screening of hypertension in a workplace has some special aspects. We have screened the employees in a Hungarian salami factory (Pick Salami Factory, Szeged, Hungary) for hypertensives. In a cross-sectional survey, the blood pressure (BP) was measured with an instrument meeting accepted measuring principles (BP-TRUTM BP) and a questionnaire was filled. In all, 1012 factory workers were screened (600 male and 412 female) and 25.7% of the workers proved to be hypertensives. Of these, 61.5% of the hypertensive employees were aware that their BP is high. Among the treated hypertensives, 21.9% were controlled. These results suggest that the efficacy of the management of hypertension in Hungary cannot be solely responsible for the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The improvement of the management of hypertension should decrease the cardiovascular risk in the hypertensive population. The worksite screening and follow-up of hypertension seem to be logical health service solutions. This has been proven to be cost-effective.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fogari R et al. The epidemiology of resting heart rate in a male working population: association with blood pressure, age, smoking habits and other cardiovascular risk factors. J Cardiovasc Risk 1997; 4(3): 209–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Logan AG et al. Cost-effectiveness of a worksite hypertension treatment program. Hypertension 1981; 3(2): 211–218.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Foote A, Erfurt JC . Hypertension control at the worksite. Comparison of screening and referral alone. Referral and follow-up, and on-site treatments. N Engl J Med 1983; 308(14): 809–813.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Fodor JG et al. Worksite hypertension prevalence and control in three central European countries. J Hum Hypertension 2004, this issue.

  5. Wright JM, Mattin GS . Validation of a new algorithm of the BPM-100 electronic blood pressure monitor. Blood Press Monit 2001; 6(5): 161–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. 2003 European Society of Hypertension—European Society of Cardiology guidefines for the management of arterial hypertension. Guildelines Committee. J Hypertens 2003; 21: 1011–1053.

  7. Chobanian AV et al. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention Detection Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, The JNC7 Report. JAMA 2003; 289: 2560–2572.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ruchlin HS, Alderman MH . Cost of hypertension control at the workplace. J Occup Med 1980; 22(12): 795–800.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sonkodi S et al. Hypertension screening in a Hungarian town. J Hum Hypertens 1989; 3(12): 105–110.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lang L et al for the Epidemiology Group of the Société Française d’Hypertension Artérielle and the IHPAF Working Physicians Group. Prevalence and therapeutic control of hypertension in 30 000 subjects in the workplace. Hypertension 2001; 38: 449–454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This project was supported by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Canada. The BP TRU instruments were donated by VSM Corporation, Vancouver, Canada. We are grateful to the Salami Factory (Pick Szeged Szalámigyár és Húsüzem RT) for allowing and helping to perform the screening study in the factory. We specially thank Dr Katalin Lencse (leader of the Health Service of Pick Salami Factory) for helping with the screening work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B Sonkodi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sonkodi, B., Fodor, J., Ábrahám, G. et al. Hypertension screening in a salami factory: a worksite hypertension study. J Hum Hypertens 18, 567–569 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001723

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001723

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links