The Finnmark Intervention Study: Design, Methods and effects of a 2 year community-based intervention

• Published in: The European Journal of Public Health
• Main Authors: Henriksen, N., Seggard, A. J., Fylkesnes, K.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1995
• Subjects: Articles; Finnmark; Nordkapp
• Online Access: http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/5/4/269; https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/5.4.269

Two fishing municipalities with a total population of 6,500 in Finnmark county were exposed to different hearth intervention programmes, both aiming at minimizing inequalities in health through empowerment and community involvement. One intervention (Nordkapp) was mainly focused on factors related to the working environment of fishermen and within the fishing industry, while the other (Bitsfjord) addressed the population as a whole in defining health problems, setting priorities and planning strategies and implementation. This paper describes the design and methods of intervention and evaluation and examines effects regarding knowledge about and discussions of the projects, acquisition of new information, attitudes and serf-reported behaviour changes after 2 years of intervention in a randomized sample of almost 2,000 individuals in the 2 communities. In Nordkapp, 27% of the men and 20% of the women knew about the project, with the highest level being among fishermen and the male employees in the fishing industry. The corresponding percentages for BStsfjord were 77 and 82%. Approximately 1 in 5 in Nordkapp and 2 in 5 in Bitsfjord had discussed the projects with somebody. In particular, in Bitsfjord knowledge about and discussion of the projects increased with the length of formal education, whereas acquisition of new information and self-reported behaviour change was highest among those with the lowest level of education in both communities. Approximately 40% of those aware reported behaviour change due to the interventions. These findings suggest that the projects have favoured the target groups of the intervention.