Prevention of Coronary Atherosclerosis: The Role of a College Health Service

Coronary artery disease is a major public health problem in the adult years. Substantial evidence supports a hypothesis that atherosclerosis begins in childhood or adolescence and that the behavioral risk factors for atherosclerosis become entrenched in adolescence or young adulthood. While there have been recommendations that preventive efforts should begin early in life, little emphasis has been placed on the role of college health services in these preventive efforts. In this paper, we review the risk factor concept and the evidence favoring preventive intervention in the adolescent years. We also present initial experience with screening and intervention at the University of Rochester Health Service. The data summarized here suggest that risk factor modification programs on the college campus deserve further consideration.