HEAD-INJURY - A SURVEY OF CURRENT PRACTICES IN PREVENTIVE HEALTH-CARECOUNSELING

Objectives: This study examined whether primary care physicians provid e education and counselling on head injury prevention as part of their routine health care discussions with patients. Methods: A preventive health care practices survey was distributed to 678 physicians in the Central Virginia area. Data regarding respondents' age, gender, medica l specialty, patient population and counselling practices were obtaine d.Results: Fifty-one per cent of those surveyed responded. Ninety-five per cent of physicians reported providing health care counselling 'in most cases' or 'commonly'. Less than half (46%) of physicians discuss ed head injury prevention with their patients. In contrast, almost all respondents (97%) discussed smoking. Physician age, specialty, and pa tient population did not affect head injury counselling practices. Con clusions: Prevention strategies for head injury are discussed much les s frequently than other health risks such as heart disease and cancer in the primary care setting. Strategies for educating primary care phy sicians on head injury should be considered ill order to increase thei r efforts toward prevention.