ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF FRENCH CARDIOLOGISTS TOWARDS SMOKING

To assess attitudes and opinions of French cardiologists towards tobac co, a postal survey was performed in 1993 of all members of the French Society of Cardiology using a questionnaire designed by the World Hea lth Organisation (WHO) and the International Union against tuberculosi s and lung diseases (IUATLD) for health professionals. 730 cardiologis ts responded to the mailing. The mean age of them was 47 +/- 9 years, 84% were males. The prevalence of smoking was 27% (14% daily smokers a nd 13% occasionally smokers). There were more never smokers in age gro up < 45 than in those aged 45 and more(33% vs 21%). Of daily smokers, 42% claimed to have made a serious attempt to stop smoking, but only 1 6% expected to have stopped within five years of the survey. French ca rdiologists aged 29-45 years had a better knowledge of tobacco related respiratory and cardiovascular diseases than those over 45 years old. Only 64% (54% of daily smokers) would counsel a patient to stop smoki ng if he did not have a smoking related illness and did not himself ra ise the question, 53% thought they had sufficient knowledge to advise their patients on stopping smoking. The results compared to those of t he French general practitioners survey, showed a lower prevalence of d aily smokers. French cardiologists especially those aged 29-45, have a better knowledge of the risk of cardiovascular diseases. But only 64% of them would advise any smoker patients. These results also demonstr ated the influence of personal smoking of the attitude of cardiologist s towards smoker patients.