[A study on the relationship between sources of health information concerning smoking and drinking, and health...

To determine effective measures to popularize knowledge on the health effects of smoking and drinking and to change health behavior, an interview survey of 2000 persons aged 18 or older randomly chosen from national census forms throughout Japan was carried out. The coverage rates of the information concerning smoking and drinking were 97.3% and 92.5%, respectively. Television, newspapers and magazines were the major sources of health information concerning smoking and drinking. In addition, men who gave up or controlled smoking or drinking usually obtained health information from doctors, while those who had never controlled smoking usually obtained health information from their friends and families. Men who could not control drinking effectively usually obtained health information from the health examination consultant at the workplace. However, according to the answers from men who gave up or controlled drinking, the health information useful in changing health behavior was obtained from the health examination consultant at the workplace and from persons who had a disease history. Women who gave up or controlled drinking answered that the health information from their friends and families was helpful to change the health behavior.