New prevention reports: “We hope that the words of health professionals will carry more weight than collective messages”

Les pharmaciens peuvent assurer le bilan de prévention. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

From 18 to 75 years old, four slices of life scanned by a doctor, nurse, midwife or pharmacist, invited to question the French on their diet, sleep, physical activity, mental and sexual health… long promised, the “prevention assessments”, likely to affect 21 million people are launched this month. Valérie Tchen Fo, head of the prevention sector at the Hérault Health Insurance, welcomes the implementation of this new system.

Valérie Tchen Fo is head of the prevention sector at the Hérault Health Insurance.

Valérie Tchen Fo: “France is behind”.

Prevention assessments for all have been announced for a long time, they are now offered to the French, finally?

Yes! France is behind. We do a lot of things on the ground, but it is not enough. Health insurance sends invitations, information, but the lever of health professionals is important. Not only are they trained in all prevention acts, but in addition, they have a word which, we hope, will bear more fruit than our collective messages. I also hope that health professionals will take hold of it.

The messages sent so far haven't worked too well?

No, we are still in the curative field. We are very much into cancer screening, breast, colorectal and uterine, and we have participation rates that are far too low, particularly for colorectal. In Hérault, it is 24.82% participation. We have a lot of trouble convincing our insured people, despite all our messages, by facilitating access to the kit, to get tested.

The national health insurance fund started from the fact that by mobilizing health professionals, and by mobilizing several of them, and not just the doctor, we can relay prevention messages, in a dedicated space, with a long time, over thirty to forty minutes. We want people to become actors in their health, accompanied by a professional.

#PréventionSanté | Réalisez votre Bilan Prévention en 4 étapes ! Échangez avec un professionnel de santé et profitez de ses conseils pour adapter vos habitudes de vie à votre santé.
Rendez-vous ici pour la première étape : https://t.co/HfqIaMpszE 💡💪

— Ministère de la Santé et de l'Accès aux soins (@Sante_Gouv) September 18, 2024

There are no taboos in the topics discussed: addictions, sexual health, mental health, violence are also discussed…

Yes, and the message is adapted according to age groups: for 18-25 year olds, it will be chronic diseases, addictions, sexual health, sleep, mental health, and screening for sexually transmitted infections. transmissible.

At 18, we are less supported by our parents, we enter working life or higher education, we have to take charge of ourselves, the 18-25 age group was not chosen at random. The 45-50 age group is a key period in relation to organized cancer screening. For 60-65 year olds, we target chronic diseases. And for the oldest, 70-75 year olds, in addition to chronic illnesses, there is the risk of isolation and dependency.

Healthcare professionals will direct their discussions based on these findings.

Messages adapted to age groups

Very concretely, how does it work? People receive a letter from health insurance, or they must directly contact a health professional?

Both. Since January, we have communicated with the health professionals concerned, they can have support on conducting interviews, e-learning training… there are many tools. Since January, health professionals have started the assessments. These are mainly doctors, who can spontaneously suggest it to their patients.

In addition, with the launch of the national prevention campaign this month, more and more people are informed.

Better identification to prevent or better cure: an essential process. Midi Libre – SOPHIE WAUQUIER

Finally, since the beginning of the month, health insurance has been sending invitations, by age group. We start with 70-75 year olds. The letter explains that it is a free consultation, without advance payment, with the health professional of their choice, whether they know them or not. If you wish, you can fill out a self-questionnaire before the appointment. It is available on ameli, or on their health space. There is no obligation, but it is from there that the health professional will identify the risk factors and discuss with the patient to set up a personalized prevention plan on one or two priority subjects, sometimes with referral to other health professionals.

You guide where people are doing ?

On the government website esante, health professionals have the possibility to declare themselves as actors in the prevention assessment. But it is not obligatory. You can also ask a professional you know.

What was the experiment in Hauts de France like ?

It was only in the 45-50 age group. Health professionals have given positive feedback.

“We want to reduce territorial inequalities in health”

We are not on the services offered by certain mutual insurance companies, and in the role of occupational medicine ?

These services only affect certain categories of people. With these preventive assessments, we want to reduce territorial inequalities in health, that is to say, reach out to people who are not actors in their health, a vulnerable population. We know how difficult it is sometimes to find a GP. If it is complicated, there are nurses, midwives

Bringing people into the healthcare system who are very far removed from it

Exactly. Getting your screenings done, taking an interest in your health, means maintaining your health capital. During the assessment, preventive measures can already be carried out: a midwife, for example, can do a smear test. The pharmacist can provide a colorectal cancer screening kit to a person who is not up to date.

There may be a direct act of prevention or screening, or a referral to another health professional.

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