Introduction: Effective preventive services are needed most in underserved,
inner-city settings that suffer disproportionately from morbidity and mort
ality, Primary care physicians can play an important role in the provision
of efficacious cancer prevention and screening services to patients in thes
e communities.
Method: We surveyed 122 primary care physicians about their cancer preventi
on and screening knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
Results: Relative to the findings from national and local surveys, sample p
hysicians were not as knowledgeable about national guidelines for preventiv
e care, were less likely to counsel on smoking cessation, and were less lik
ely to advise diet modification. Although physician practices reflected nat
ional cancer prevention and screening guidelines in general, a significant
proportion of physicians suggested lung and prostate cancer screening tests
that were inconsistent with national recommendations.
Conclusions: Systematic efforts are needed to increase the knowledge and pr
actices of inner-city physicians concerning cancer prevention and screening
.
(C) 2000 American Journal of Preventive Medicine.