Smoking patterns and specialty training of Oregon physicians.

Abstract

The effects of the current anti-smoking campaign on the smoking habits of physicians were studied specifically as related to (1) probable level of familiarity with pathology imputed to smoking as estimated from type of specialty practice, and (2) probable amount of exposure to the campaign as estimated by rural-urban site of practice. A pre-coded questionnaire was mailed to all members of the Oregon Medical Association residing in Oregon in May, 1964; 1790 (90 per cent) usable, completed questionnaires were obtained. The type of medical specialty practice was found to be related to present smoking habit, mention of smoking as a cause of cancer, the number of illnesses attributed to smoking and the frequency and recency of cessation of smoking; the type of medical practice is not related to the degree of hazard ascribed to smoking or to the stated reason for stopping smoking. The geographic location of an Oregon physician's medical practice is not related to these variables. These and other reported findings suggest that anti-smoking campaigns, by themselves, may produce marked changes in the smoking habits of some individuals but these represent only a rather small minority of the population. To attain more widespread reduction in smoking it will be necessary to employ a broad and diversified array of approaches.