Behavioral risk factors among physicians working at Faculty of Medicine - Ain Shams University

Behavioral factors and lifestyle are increasingly recognized as underlying causes of preventable morbidity and premature death. Physicians frequently advise their patients about quitting smoking, losing weight, and increasing physical activity; so what about their own personal behavioral choices?

To determine the prevalence of behavioral risk factors that physicians are currently practicing and its relation to some demographic variables.

616 staff physicians, of both sexes, were randomly selected to fill a questionnaire inquiring about major behavioral risks. Among the behavioral risks investigated were smoking, physical inactivity, overweight, non-use of seatbelts. Univariate and multivariate analysis were done in which all behavioral risks were dichotomized into at risk or no risk and related to different demographic factors.

382 physicians participated (response rate 62%). Current smoking among male physicians was 26.6%, past smokers 12.1%, 51% of current smokers reported smoking in front of patients or in clinic. Among all participants, 84% were sedentary (no, or irregular physical activity), 59.9% were overweight (Body Mass Index > or = 25). Regular use of seatbelts was only followed by 11.2%. Routine checkup within the past year was reported by 18.6%, blood cholesterol checkup by 15.4%. Regarding aspects of women's health, a clinical breast examination was done in 32.5% of women physicians > or = 40 years, a cervical smear in 10%, and a mammogram in 7.5%. Different behavioral risks were found to be associated with different sets of demographic variables.

Efforts are necessary to promote physicians to quit smoking, increase physical activity, lose weight, use seatbelts, screen for chronic diseases, to minimize preventable disorders.