THE CHANGE OF ATTITUDE OF HUNGARIAN PHYSICIANS TOWARDS THE IMPORTANCEOF RISK-FACTORS OF CORONARY HEART-DISEASE OVER THE PERIOD 1985-1996

Cardiovascular mortality in Hungary is still increasing, while it show s a continual decrease in the developed Western world. The authors exa mined, by means of a questionnaire, the attitude of physicians, in a l arge county hospital, to prevention of cardiovascular diseases and pro motion of a healthy way of life. The questionnaire was answered by 170 physicians, 107 (63%) males and 63 (37%) females. Eighty-six percent of them believed coronary heart disease to be preventable. Twenty-six percent of the physicians currently smoked, and 53% did not know their own cholesterol level. As a cardiovascular mortality risk factor smok ing was considered the most important risk factor, with sedentary life style the second, high cholesterol level the third, and hypertension b eing only the fourth. Hungarian hospital physicians' rating of the eff ect of reducing the risk factors for coronary heart disease was simila r to those results published in 1986 of American doctors, there being no significant difference in the importance attributed to smoking and elevated blood cholesterol. American doctors believed that hypertensio n had a more important effect on coronary heart disease than did Hunga rian physicians, whilst the Hungarians attributed greater importance t o a diet high in fat, being overweight, having a sedentary life-style, stress, elevated triglyceride level and type A behaviour. The results of this present study which related to the doctors attitudes towards health education for their patients were compared to results obtained from a study relating to physicians in the same hospital in 1985. Only in two aspects was a significant change observed. According to the au thors' opinion greater efforts should be made regarding physician educ ation on the subject of disease prevention. Additionally the employmen t of well educated nurses with specific training in preventive medicin e could improve the effectiveness of the prevention of coronary heart disease.