RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Physicians' attitudes towards disease prevention are crucial. The purposes of this study are to examine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and adherence to international preventive screening programmes by a group of physicians. METHODS: Online and paper format questionnaires were completed by a sample of 650 physicians from November 2010 to March 2011. The collected data included the main components of screening programmes, which are recommended in international guidelines. RESULTS: The data show that 30.5% of male physicians currently smoke, 19.4 % are obese, 15.2% have hypertension, 38% are physically inactive and 10.9% have diabetes. Nearly all (95%) of the female participants and most (83%) of the male participants older than 45 years had never had a colonoscopy. Of the male physicians older than 55 years, 36.4% had never had prostate-specific antigen testing, and only 10.9% had undergone a digital rectal examination. Among the female physicians, 27.4% were obese, and 42% had never had a mammogram. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular disease is high among physicians. A substantial percentage of the practising physicians did not adhere to the age-specified preventive screening measures recommended in international guidelines.