Figure 1.

Flow diagram: Inclusion and course of the study

PCP, primary care physician; min, minimum; max, maximum; T0, time point of inclusion into the study (baseline); T1, time point after four months (follow-up)

*¹ None of the participating primary care physicians had withdrawn from participation, primary care physicians on the waiting list were therefore not included in the study.

*² Patients did not participate in the Arriba consultation.

*³ Per protocol population (N = 71; A group = 36; A+D group = 35); 16 patients were excluded because of protocol breaches: In one practice, patients in the A group were given the second part of the DECADE brochures (rather than no brochure), 12 patients were excluded. In two practices each, one married couple was included, 4 patients were excluded.

*⁴ The reasons for not completing the study, where known (primarily communicated by patients): very low cardiovascular risk (n = 1), no gain from participation (n = 1); shift work and therefore too little time to attend follow-up consultations (n = 1); familial reasons (n = 1); severe illness owing to non-cardiovascular cause (n = 1).

*⁵ Receipt of the T1 questionnaire after data analysis had been completed.