About Us

History
Phil Stenzel Health Foundation was formed in December 2012 in memory of the founder’s late mother Patricia, a nurse, head teacher, and colleagues who died from diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. The founder would like to show her support for the health foundation by introducing free health check, advice and support service in the work place to help tackle these diseases.

A health check provides confidential clinical health, fitness assessment and advice. These assessments are intended as preventive and early detection measures. They will be impartial and objective. They do not seek to diagnose or treat a person’s medical condition but to advise clients depending on their medical assessment results to seek further medical help from their Doctors and other multidisciplinary team.

The evidence to support the provision of health check service is based on one of the Ministry of Health’s objectives to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases by between 15 and 20% by 2013; these diseases include obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes mellitus was found to be very high in the Zimbabwe STEPwise survey (2005). Diabetes mellitus and its complications are on the increase. It is among the top five chronic conditions seen in the outpatient’s clinics. The 2005 STEPwise survey noted that the prevalence of diabetes among the adult population is 10%, with a large number of people not being aware that they had raised blood sugar levels. The Ministry of Health website also states that there is limited or lack of systematic screening for NCDs or their risk factors at all levels of care (Dec 2012).The founder conducted a preliminary research on health issues facing the working population in the Midlands. In that preliminary research, her findings were that there were many employees who had never had their blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels checked. Some employees were aware that they had health issues but had not been tested to determine the level of severity or the risk to their health that these problems represented. She conducted a Health Needs Assessment. This is a systemic method for reviewing the health issues facing a population, leading to agreed priorities and resources that will improve health and, wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. She targeted the working population as they are just a reflection of the society they live in, on the belief that if you educate an employee, they would then go home and educate their friends and relatives/nation, then goal achieved (see appendix 1 for more information).

Purpose of Health checks
The purpose of Health checks is to determine if a person has any signs or symptoms of ill health or disease and potentially to reduce or prevent ill health or health complications. Generally, the earlier a health care professional is able to diagnose a health condition, the better likelihood there is to successfully treat that condition. Early detection of many health conditions and diseases can be life-saving. Regular health checks can help find problems before they start. They can also help detect problems early, and then the chances for treatment and cure are better. Health checks also include health risk assessment. This includes assessment on health risk factors such as unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking etc.

Justification
Health checks are one of the most important things people can do to maintain proper health. Combined with a good diet and exercises, health checks provide people with an understanding of their health and how to make necessary changes. Anyone who receives periodic health checks can adjust their diet, exercise program and lifestyle to reverse many health problems. Early detection of diseases is one of the great benefits of health checks. Some heart attack victims do not make it to hospital on time. This could be prevented by getting screenings. Diabetes and high blood pressure do not exhibit symptoms until there is a major problem. By detecting these conditions early, doctors are better able to use preventative measures and treatments to avoid these conditions. These check-ups also allow people to learn more about warning signs that may signal a dangerous situation.

Benefits
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is often referred to as the silent killer because there are many people walking around who have no idea they have this condition. Untreated hypertension can result in many chronic illnesses such as kidney failure, congestive heart failure, stroke and heart attack. Something as simple as having one’s blood pressure checked may allow them, with proper treatment toward off these serious complications. A health check may also uncover diabetes mellitus and other diseases.

Purpose of the Organisation

• To help tackle some of the country’s major killer diseases i.e. Obesity, Cardio Vascular Diseases, Stroke and Diabetes.

• Reducing death rates from the above diseases in the long term.

• To help minimise potential health issues before they become health problems. Diabetes and High Blood Pressure do not exhibit symptoms until there is a major problem. By detecting these conditions early, doctors are better able to use preventative measures and treatments to avoid these conditions.

•   To save lives by early detecting of diseases, as early diagnosis and treatment lead to a better prognosis.

• To empower workers to take action in improving their health and reducing health inequalities by delivering professionally led free health promotion and health protection programmes that are based on the best available evidence and evaluating their impact in the work place.

What we will deliver

• 30 minute face to face consultations with the employer providing an office and employees to attend prioritised on numbers employed and type of business. This equates to a target population of 15 000 health checks of employees on an annual basis (excluding follow ups).

• The Occupational Health Specialist/Registered Nurse/Health Advisor provides 30 minute face to face health and clinical assessments.

• The fitness consultant provides personal fitness plan based on the Health Advisor’s report.

The screening process includes the following:

• Health and lifestyle questions
• blood pressure
• blood sugar level
• cholesterol
• stress levels
• tobacco use
• weight and height
• waist circumference
• metabolic age
• body mass index (BMI)
• fitness

All results will be interpreted immediately.

• Clients will be given tailored lifestyle advice and support to manage or reduce their risk of developing serious health conditions and signposted to other agencies e.g. gym and General Practitioners. It will be up to the client to follow up the Health Advisor’s advice on further tests, screenings, and lifestyle changes.

•  The provision of a personalised, risk rated health assessment report/results which will be interpreted to the client.

• The provision of health booklets, covering key health issues and a personal self-health management plan.

• All employees will be offered a follow up health check after 6 months to encourage ownership, progress with health issues and this will also provide trend data.

• An anonymised database will provide statistical analysis of the health check findings. Initial assessments will record key health issues and those sign posted to other agencies.

• Phil Stenzel Health Foundation is subject to current policies and legislations such as, Data Protection Act and Access to Medical Report Act. Information shared during consultation will be strictly confidential and is provided on a need to know basis. No one else will have access to the information apart from the Occupational Health Specialist and Registered Nurse(s).

Conclusion
It is our goal to provide health check services in Zimbabwe to help tackle some of the country’s major killer diseases i.e. Obesity, Cardio Vascular Diseases, Stroke and Diabetes.

Appendix 1

Key Facts

•  Workplaces are important settings for health promotion, disease prevention and reducing health inequalities.

• The workplace is a setting where many people spend the largest proportion of their time and therefore employers can play a key role in contributing to the health of their employees and in turn the health of their organisations.

• The workplace is important in shaping people’s health and in providing opportunities to improve their health. It provides a useful platform or setting for early identification and intervention with individuals who have unhealthy lifestyles. Early intervention can prevent a health slide into industrial benefit.

• If an employee is educated on disease prevention, he/she will then go home and educate their families and friends/nation.

• This workplace based approach provides access to population who maybe otherwise difficult to reach for example young adult males who are ignorant to health issues or who may ignore general public health announcements and rarely visit the doctor and clients who have no access to insurance or cannot afford health screening.

Organisations implementing workplace health promotion programmes can realise the following benefits:

• Absenteeism: A reduction in illness-related absenteeism, fewer working time lost and therefore a long-term decline in the sickness rate.

• Conducive working environment: Improves self-motivation, concentration and morale among workers in the organisation.

• Productivity: Healthy workers and healthy working environment leads to an Increase in productivity and or effective and efficient service delivery.