Risk factors that patients should avoid

ABSTRACT

@#A risk factor increases a person’s susceptibility to developing a disease. This can be a particular patient characteristic (e.g., obesity for heart disease), patient behavior (e.g., cigarette smoking for lung cancer), or a specific drug intervention (e.g., steroid intake for myopathy). Observational studies like case-control or cohort study designs are commonly used when evaluating the harmful effect of an exposure. Family and community medicine practitioners should always take the opportunity to advice patients regarding these risk factors to promote wellness and enhance primary care.