GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS AS AGENTS OF HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOR-CHANGE - OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEHAVIORAL-SCIENCE IN PATIENT SMOKING CESSATION

General practitioners have been suggested as occupying a position in t he community that offers considerable potential for reducing the preva lence of health risk behaviours. Green, Eriksen, and Schor (1988) have proposed that if general practitioners are to effectively adopt a rol e in modifying patient health risk behaviours, a number of prerequisit e conditions must be met. Using the model proposed by Green et al., th is paper reviews the literature to describe the circumstances under wh ich general practitioners currently practice this role. The review foc uses on the circumstances relating to practitioner modification of one patient health risk behaviour: smoking. Research detailing the extent of practitioner involvement in the modification of this risk behaviou r is also reviewed. The paper concludes by discussing the opportunitie s available for behavioural scientists to facilitate general practitio ners' adoption of a role in patient smoking cessation.