From the age of 40

With VanHarte, you train volunteers to carry out preventive health screenings. Why is prevention in the field of cardiovascular disease so important, and why do you place such a strong emphasis on involving citizens?

Professor Nicholas Cauwenberghs: “We know that screening from the age of 40 onwards is particularly valuable and that regular testing is an important preventive measure. At the same time, the reality is that GPs and specialists are struggling with overcrowded schedules, meaning there simply are not enough hands available to test everyone preventively. Because we test too few people, those at risk are often identified too late. On top of that, it remains difficult to reach the most vulnerable individuals in our society. With VanHarte, we want to work together with citizens to ensure that people can be tested free of charge, in an accessible way and at easily reachable locations for risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease. By involving citizens as health testers, we will reach more people and actively involve them in prevention. Based on our measurements, participants gain insight into their risk of developing cardiovascular disease within the next ten years. If necessary, they can afterwards consult their GP with the results and general advice. Of course, it is ultimately always the GP or specialist who provides further medical follow-up. Our citizen-focused model is intended as a complement to our current screening methods: not as a replacement for the GP, but as a filter before the GP.”

Reliable

Does the involvement of volunteers lower the threshold for testing, or does it perhaps create additional challenges for you as organisers?

Roxane Brouwers: “With VanHarte, we are trying to map both the advantages and the challenges. We first carried out a small-scale pilot project with 14 volunteers in a controlled setting. Our testers received training consisting of an online module of around 40 minutes and a workshop lasting approximately two hours. Initially, the testing process felt somewhat unfamiliar, but after carrying out five tests, our testers were able to perform the screenings independently, professionally and to a high standard, proving to be just as reliable as experts. It helps that the testers are supported by an app. The app provides information but also checks the quality of the data entered. Surveys showed that testers were highly satisfied with the training and support. Participants being tested were also pleased with the process and responded positively to the idea of citizen testers.”

Prof. Nicholas Cauwenberghs: “The first findings are therefore positive. Volunteers can indeed be trained as health testers. But does involving volunteers genuinely lead to an accessible and reliable way of carrying out preventive screenings? Will our approach also be positively received ‘in the real world’, and will it result in measurable health benefits? These are all questions we aim to answer in the coming months.”

Into the wild

Where will you begin, and what kind of measurements can participants expect?

Roxane Brouwers: “From September onwards, you will be able to find us in pharmacies, libraries and community centres throughout Leuven. We are collaborating on this with HARTstad Leuven, a three-year project focused on heart health, and with the City of Leuven. Together with UCLL, we will also have a testing van at the Friday market. Anyone who wishes can come along for a spontaneous screening. We measure blood pressure, waist circumference, BMI and cholesterol levels through a small finger-prick test. The entire screening takes around 15 minutes. Additional testing locations are very welcome to register via our website. We provide the organisation, planning, testers, equipment and supervision.”

Prof. Nicholas Cauwenberghs: “Initially, our campaign aims to determine whether citizen-led testing for cardiovascular risk factors works effectively. In the longer term, we want to evolve towards a broader rollout and a more sustainable approach, where every neighbourhood has its own team of trained volunteers. In that way, it should become perfectly possible to organise regular testing events in community centres or pharmacies.”

Turning the tide

Participants provide written consent for their data to support scientific research?

Roxane Brouwers: “That is correct. By participating in VanHarte, people also contribute to scientific research. We collect anonymous data and ensure proper data protection. Once processed, the results will be included in several scientific publications. Our first findings from the pilot project have already resulted in a publication.”

Prof. Nicholas Cauwenberghs: “We carefully protect the privacy of every participant and ensure that participants always remain in control of their own data. Scientific publications are not, however, the main reason why we launched VanHarte. Our primary motivation is a societal commitment. In the same way as bowel and breast cancer screening programmes, we want to offer a large-scale, low-threshold alternative for cardiovascular screening. Why? Because cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Belgium. Because hundreds of thousands of Belgians are living with risk factors without even realising it. In Belgium, for example, one in three people has high blood pressure, and half of them are unaware of it. People who do not know they are at risk cannot take the necessary steps to turn the tide. The government is currently working on a comprehensive prevention plan for cardiovascular disease. We believe citizens can play an important role in this. Because prevention is not something you do only for citizens, but also together with citizens.”

Creating impact

Testing locations are still welcome. Is the same true for testers?

Roxane Brouwers: “Absolutely! We are currently building up our pool of volunteers. Anyone interested in joining the project can register via our website: vanharte.eu. Testers decide for themselves how often they want to contribute, and every volunteer receives compensation.”

Prof. Nicholas Cauwenberghs: “It would be wonderful if we could build a close-knit community of testers together. A community in which testers share experiences with one another, allowing them to learn from each other and us to learn from them as well. Because that is ultimately the essence of the project: discovering together how we can bring reliable screening closer to people.”