The CNIC signs up for M-Prevention

The CNIC has launched the Circle of Health App, aimed at helping users to control cardiovascular risk factors. Circle of Life is an initiative of the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and addresses one of the primary goals of both the Foundation and CNIC Director Dr. Valentin Fuster: the promotion of public health.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Spain and throughout the world, but there are six known risk factors that people can modify to reduce their risk of developing the disease. The Circle of Health App shows users how to achieve this by making appropriate lifestyle changes. The six risk factors are divided into two “chemical” factors (cholesterol and diabetes), two that are “physical” (obesity and high arterial blood pressure) and two “behavioral” factors (smoking and lack of exercise).

The App explains the nature of each of these risk factors through videos presented by Dr. Fuster: “The message is that all of us can do a lot to stay healthy, and the introduction of this new tool is great news for society.”

The App is divided into several stages. In the first stage, Evaluation, users learn about their individual state of cardiovascular health by responding to a set of simple questions that reveal the factors that present most risk. The results of this assessment are not intended to be definitive, and users are advised of the importance of consulting a specialist, especially if the result is negative.

Next up is the Information stage, where users are presented with key information about the significance of the risk factors and how to minimize their impact through videos and other interactive tools.

One of the most important stages is Motivation, which teaches users how to abandon unhealthy habits and acquire new one that are more beneficial to health. This stage is based on the principles expounded by Dr. Fuster in his recent book The motivation cycle, in which he speaks of the four tasks and four actions (the 4 T’s and the 4 A’s), vital tools for achieving motivation and changing habits to promote health.

The final stage is Activation, which includes a set of recommended actions, grouped into weekly challenges to help users improve their health. Users can also share their progress with friends and family.

Circle of Health, free to download from Google Play and the Apple Store, provides the keys to averting the most significant risks of cardiovascular disease and in this way aims to promote public health through an attractive interface and a comprehensive multimedia content.

The App, developed by WakeApp Health, was launched at an event at the CNIC presided over by Spanish health minister Alfonso Alonso. Alonso reminded those attending that “health is a constitutional obligation that the Spanish consider a right.” But that right, as this App emphasizes, requires individuals to make a commitment to monitoring their personal health.