Dr. Birgit Böhm was honored with the promotional prize from the German Hypertensiology League (DHL) in the category of "sport and non-medicinal therapy". The scientific employee at the Chair of Preventive Pediatrics under Full Prof. Dr. Renate Oberhoffer receives the honor for her commitment in the course of the project on "Decreased pressure - increased activity!". The prize is endowed with €1,200.
"Birgit Böhm has been intensively engaged in the field of primary prevention already for several years. I am happy to see that this renowned specialized society has recognized this," says Prof. Oberhoffer, who is also Dean of the Department of Sport and Health Sciences.
The "Fresh-air bus", offers sport & information
With "Decreased pressure - increased activity!" Dr. Böhm initiated a project which aims at achieving positive effects on blood pressure and vascular rigidity. "Crucial for a preventative measure is that this is actually integrated into everyday life so that the effects develop on a long-term basis. Therefore, we selected an appropriate setting for this project," explains Böhm.
In the municipality of Aschau in the Chiemgau region, we formed a network made up of both children and senior citizens. The idea: The senior citizens should walk to the school using different routes each day. For this purpose, four routes were mapped. The children are picked up at fixed sites. Thus, a "fresh-air bus" develops. Parents are relieved through this method, because they do not have to bring their children to the school - and the seniors have an incentive for daily movement. This additionally has positive effects on the cardiovascular system of the "bus walkers". At the school, the pensioners also have an opportunity twice a week to participate in a one-hour supportive program - consisting of hiking or involving nutrition, or even spinal gymnastics, Qui gong and singing bowl meditation.
"It has been well proven scientifically that movement can lead to a lower blood pressure by around two to three mmHg. For some of these people this can even mean that no medicines will be necessary," explains Prof. Oberhoffer.
To evaluate the effects of the movement, the participants received clocks which record their cardiovascular and movement data. These can be downloaded and analyzed both at the school and at the local pharmacy. There, more extensive measurements of the peripheral blood pressure as well as the speed of the pulse wave and the central blood pressure can additionally be carried out. In the pharmacy, the seniors can register for consultation and then receive a detailed consultation with a staff member from the Department of Preventive Pediatrics - and, if necessary, will get a recommendation for scheduling an appointment with a family doctor.
Pharmacy as a center for health competency
"Our idea was to understand the pharmacy as a center for health competency and to bundle different aspects there. That proved to be very satisfactory," describes Böhm. After approximately one year the project has established itself. Four of the six planned fresh-air bus routes were set up. Altogether 25 senior citizens and approximately 60 children take part in the project. The result: "For the pensioners, we were able to increase their activity by approximately 15 to 20 per cent. A further positive effect is that the quality of life is improved. The senior citizens could now acquire new contacts to other seniors and also to the children. Here, some new friendships developed between the participants and a regular exchange was made possible," concludes Böhm.
The scientific staff member at the Department of Preventive Pediatrics is pleased to have received the prize from the DHL which can be used to help establish the fresh-air bus further, to promote supportive partners and possibly to even expand this concept to other municipalities. "The scientific prize from this prestigious society objectively confirms the high quality of their offer," according to Böhm. Already in June, "Decreased pressure - increased activity!" will also receive certification of quality from the Federal Ministry of Health, which can now be presented officially.
The project has already been described in different ways in the media. For instance, the evening broadcast of the Bayerische Rundfunk (starting from minute 21:00) in May and an article in the highest-circulating health magazine "Apotheken Umschau" which was published in September.
To the Homepage of the Chair of Preventive Pediatrics
To the Homepage of the German Hypertensiology League (DHL)
To the article in the Apotheken Umschau
To the broadcast of the BR Abendschau (starting from minute of 21:00)
Contact:
Dr. Birgit Böhm
Chair of Preventive Pediatrics
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 Munich
Tel. 089 289 24577
E-Mail: Birgit.Boehm(at)tum.de
Text: Dr. Fabian Kautz
Photos: Deutsche Hochdruck Liga (German Hypertensiology League)/Private