Health Risk Appraisal using Internet technology

To develop a Web-based Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) system as a tool for health education based on personal health examination data.

A Japanese health examination database was analyzed to develop models for HRA, which were designed to predict each of ten laboratory values in a year with and without lifestyle modifications. The HRA models were embedded into a server.

The Web-based HRA system has been introduced into a Japanese health care association having 37 branch centers. Following a health examination, an individual health education program using the Web-based HRA system is provided to a given client at each branch center or at a client's office. A measured laboratory value and corresponding predicted laboratory values in a year with and without lifestyle modifications are displayed on the screen in forms of both numerical values and graphs. A trained nurse or another health care provider operates the system and explains the HRA result.

The Web-based HRA system will be a practical tool for individual health education following health examination.