COMPARISON OF THE HEALTH AND LIFE-STYLE OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS AND TEACHERS

A total of 704 general practitioners and 588 teachers responded to a q uestionnaire about their health and lifestyle in 1991 (response rates 82% and 87%, respectively). The results for lifestyle measures were co mpared with those of a similar questionnaire completed by about half o f each group two years before - there were no changes in the answers o f either occupational group in the intervening two years. In 1991, 9% of general practitioners and 15% of teachers drank 22 units of alcohol per week or more; 13% of general practitioners and 23% of teachers re ported troublesome depression and 31% of doctors and 37% of teachers e xcessive anxiety in the preceding 12 months. Teachers had more sicknes s absence, and significantly more experienced a need for daily alcohol and binge eating, and reported sleep difficulties, depression and anx iety than general practitioners. Self-medication among general practit ioners was common and overall accounted for 83% of the medication take n by doctors. A follow-up survey of non-respondents found that only 11 % of general practitioners and 11% of teachers indicated they had a he alth problem they wished to conceal or that they felt the questions we re too intimate. General practitioners' lifestyle habits are better th en those of teachers and published figures for the general population. The frequency of reported mental health problems in both professions gives cause for concern.