Læknar og reykingar

Abstract

A 1989 survay of 195 Icelandic doctors, 166 men and 29 women aged 26-79, showed that 13% smoked daily and another 13% rarely smoked. Of those under 40 more than half had never smoked. Daily smoking was 2-3 times less common than among the general public, whereas occasional smoking was 2-3 times more common. The number who smoked, as well as the number who had quit smoking, increased with age. The most popular form of smoking was cigarettes for 39%, cigars for 27%, and a pipe for 7%. The GPs smoked the least, internists and psychiatrists the most. The most common reason for not smoking was to »maintain health«. Doctors advised patients not to smoke especially if a smoking-related disorder was diagnosed or if the patients themselves brought up the subject of smoking; otherwise much less was said. The advice given by the physician was markedly dependent on whether or not he/she him/herself smoked.

Reykingavenjur íslenskra lækna voru kannaðar í úrtaki 166 karla og 29 kvenna á aldrinum 26-79 ára. Árið 1989 reyktu 13% daglega en önnur 13% sjaldnar. Daglegar reykingar voru tvisvar til þrisvar sinnum fátíðari en meðal almennings, en tækifærisreykingar voru á hinn bóginn tvisvar til þrisvar sinnum algengari. Með hækkandi aldri jókst tíðni reykinga en einnig höfðu þá fleiri hætt að reykja. Vinsælustu reykfærin voru sígarettur (39%), vindlar (27%) og pípa (27%). Minnst var um reykingar meðal heimilislækna en mest meðal lyflækna og geðlækna. Algengasta ástæða sem læknar gáfu upp fyrir því að reykja ekki var að »halda heilsunni«. Læknar réðu fólki frá því að reykja, einkum ef reykingasjúkdómar höfðu fundist eða, ef fólk hafði sjálft fært reykingar sínar í tal en miklu síður ella. Einnig fór ráðgjöf læknis í þessu efni að verulegu leyti eftir því hvort hann/hún reykti eða ekki.