PROMOTION OF HEALTHY LIFE-STYLE - KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF PRIMARY-CARE PHYSICIANS

This study was conducted in Riyadh city to determine the knowledge and attitudes of primary health care physicians regarding promotion of ce rtain healthy lifestyles. Using a stratification technique, 50% of the male physicians were selected at random. A validated self-administere d questionnaire was distributed to (and recollected from) the particip ants. One physician refused to participate resulting in a response rat e approaching 99%. Most of the physicians (77.5%) were shown to have s atisfactory knowledge, while only 20% possessed reasonably positive at titudes. Physicians above 40 years of age were more knowledgeable than younger age group (P < 0.0001). There was a general pessimism about c ompliance of patients to lifestyle advice, The relatively acceptable k nowledge possessed by physicians was not properly translated into posi tive attitudes towards promotion of healthy lifestyle. To improve the situation, a greater emphasis should be placed on health promotion dur ing undergraduate and postgraduate training of physicians. (C) 1997 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd.