Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110608

John Duperly, MD PhD¹, Felipe Lobelo, MD², Luis Gomez, MD MPH³, Andres Vecino¹, Olga Sarmiento, MD MPH PhD⁴, Erica Frank, MD, MPH⁵, Diana Parra, CPT¹, and Ana Montenegro¹. (1) School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Av 9 # 117 - 20 Of 322, Bogota, Colombia, 57 (1) 2150849, john.duperly@ama.com.co, (2) Exercise Science Department, University of South Carolina, 730 Devine Street, Prevention Research Center, Columbia, SC 29208, (3) Health Division, Fundación FES Social, Cra 7 # 73-55. Room 1202, Bogota, Colombia, (4) Department of Social Medicine & Centro de Estudios e Información en Salud, School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, calle 19 #1-37 Este, Bogota, Colombia, (5) Family & Preventive Medicine, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, 69 Butler Street, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Background: Recent literature has shown that physicians with healthy personal habits are more likely to encourage patients to adopt similar habits. However, data among medical students in developing regions like Latin America is limited. Objective: To evaluate, among medical students, the associations between physical activity and smoking habits, with respect to their attitudes towards related preventive counseling. Methods: A Cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey, was administered at a private medical school in Bogotá. A previously validated questionnaire (Healthy Doc - Healthy Patient Project) was delivered in small groups (n= 519 students; response rate 80%; 68% female; mean age 21.56 yrs SD=1.89 yr). Chi-square tests were performed using SPSS V11.0 and STATA for windows. Results: Students classified as regularly active students (RAS) were more likely to talk to patients “usually or always” about exercise or physical activity than their sedentary counterparts (S) (43.9% vs 20.7% p=0.006). Additionally, current smokers (CS) were less likely to talk to patients “usually or always” about smoking cessation than Never/Non-current smokers (NCS) (26.9% vs 52.4%; p=0.002). Disagreement with the statement “I will be able to provide more credible and effective counseling if I don't use tobacco” was higher among CS students compared with NCS (16.9% vs 4.8%p=0.001). Conclusions: Healthy lifestyle habits like regular physical activity and non-smoking can influence attitudes of medical students about preventive counseling. Promotion of healthy lifestyles at medical schools can have critical implications for chronic disease prevention in developing countries.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize the impact of personal lifestyle of medical students on attitude towards and practice of preventive counseling for chronic disease.
• To discuss the role of healthy lifestyle promotion through physical activity and smoking cessation in modern medical schools, including developing countries, where a need for preventive medicine tailored programs is so evident.
• To recognize that physicians and allied health personnel, should also convey their own healthy lifestyles in order to gain impact and credibility while providing preventive counseling.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.