Smoking Prevalence and Habits of Physicians in Korea: a Mail Questionnaire Survey Conducted in 2000

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nationwide evaluation of physicians' smoking rate may be helpful to predict future trend of smoking in a general population. Thus, we investigated physicians' smoking rate and their habits in Korea. METHODS: Ten percent of physicians among the registered members of the Korean Medical Association were chosen by stratified random sampling and a mail questionnaire survey was conducted in 2000. Of the 2,977 physicians to whom the questionnaires were delivered, 1,248 (41.9%) responded. RESULTS: Overall smoking rate among Korean doctors was 29.9%. Smoking rate of males was 34.9% and that of females was 2.3%. In the current smokers, the most frequently reported age when they had begun smoking were 15~20 years (60.3%), the majority of daily smoking amount was less than or equal to 1 pack (92.5%), and those who were planning to quit smoking within 1 month were 11.9%. In the ex-smokers, the most frequently reported age when they had begun smoking were in their 20s (67.7%) and the most frequently reported age when they had stopped smoking were in their 30s (38.0%). CONCLUSION: The smoking rate of Korean physicians was estimated to be less than that of the general Korean population, but higher than that of physicians in major developed countries. More efforts to lower smoking rate of physicians and regular follow up is needed.