Are Physicians Screening for Multiple Behavioral Risk Behaviors?

The
United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that primary
care physicians screen all their patients for many health risk
behaviors, including risky drinking. To ascertain the prevalence
of 4 risk factors (i.e., physical inactivity, overweight, cigarette
smoking, and risky drinking) and physicians’ screening for related
risk behaviors, researchers analyzed data from the 1998 National
Health Interview Survey of 16,818 adults who had a routine checkup
in the past year.

• Most (52%)
  of the respondents reported having >1 risk factor; 70% reported
  physical inactivity, 55% overweight, 20% smoking, and 8% risky
  drinking (average weekly consumption of >14 drinks for men
  and >9 drinks for women, or >=5 drinks in 1 day on 12 or
  more occasions).
• Twenty-nine
  percent reported receiving no screening in the past year, 12%
  reported being screened for 1 risk behavior, and 59% reported
  being screened for >=2 risk behaviors. Those who were screened
  were more likely to be asked about physical activity (54%) and
  tobacco use (53%) than about diet (48%) or alcohol use (45%).
• Women, the
  elderly, and those with lower levels of income and education
  reported being screened for fewer of their risk behaviors.

Comments:

Screening

for multiple risk behaviors in primary care should become

the norm. The authors accurately conclude, however, that

while primary care physicians can perform such screening,

systems are required to support this and other efforts
to

accomplish effective health behavior change.

Jeffrey
H. Samet, MD, MA, MPH

Reference:

Coups EJ, Gaba A, Orleans
T. Physician screening for multiple behavioral health risk factors.
Am J Prev Med. 2004;27(2S):34–41.
(view
abstract)