[Evaluation strategy of the Swiss National Research Program on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Report of the Programme National Suisse de Recherche No. 1A. Groupe d'étude].

The Swiss National Research Program on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease attempts to reduce major factors of risk and to evaluate the obtained effect. For this purpose two intervention towns and two control areas were selected according to quantitative and qualitative criteria. The samples were chosen in order to evaluate separately the global effect of the program, the effect of the baseline assessment and of the interventions addressed to individuals. The statistical advantages of the comparison of the same people at the beginning and at the end of the program are demonstrated. The discussion focuses on the benefits and on the drawbacks of a study without randomization for evaluating preventive actions aiming at the total community.