This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (61)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal

Erica Frank, MD, MPH; Donna J. Brogan, PhD; Ali H. Mokdad, PhD; Eduardo J. Simoes, MD, MPH; Henry S. Kahn, MD; Raymond S. Greenberg, MD, PhD

Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:342-348.

Objective  To examine the health-related behaviors of women physicians compared with those of other women of high and not high socioeconomic status and with national goals.

Methods  We examined the results of a questionnaire-based survey of a stratified random sample, the Women Physicians' Health Study, and a US telephone survey (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga). We analyzed 3 samples of women aged 30 to 70 years: (1) respondents from the Women Physicians' Health Study (n=4501); (2) respondents from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n=1316) of the highest socioeconomic status; and (3) all other respondents from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n=35361).

Results  Women physicians were more likely than other women of high socioeconomic status and even more likely than other women not to smoke. The few physicians (3.7%) who smoked reported consuming fewer cigarettes per day, and physicians who had stopped smoking reported quitting at a younger age than women in the general population. Women physicians were less likely to report abstaining from alcohol, but those who drank reported consuming less alcohol per episode than other women and were less likely to report binging on alcohol than women in the general population. Unlike women in the general population and even other women of high socioeconomic status, women physicians' reported behaviors exceeded national goals for the year 2000 in all examined behaviors and screening habits.

Conclusions  Women physicians report having generally good health habits even when compared with other socioeconomically advantaged women and report exceeding all examined national goals for personal screening practices and other personal health behaviors. Women physicians' behaviors may provide useful standards for other women in the United States.

From the Schools of Public Health (Drs Frank and Brogan) and Medicine (Drs Frank and Kahn), Emory University, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Dr Mokdad), Atlanta, Ga; the St Louis University School of Public Health, St Louis, Mo (Dr Simoes); and the Medical University of South Carolina, Columbia (Dr Greenberg).

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Experiences of belittlement and harassment and their correlates among medical students in the United States: longitudinal survey
Frank et al.
BMJ 2006;333:682.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Antibiotic Prescribing for Children With Nasopharyngitis (Common Colds), Upper Respiratory Infections, and Bronchitis Who Have Health-Professional Parents
Huang et al.
Pediatrics 2005;116:826-832.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Physician Health and Patient Care
Frank
JAMA 2004;291:637-637.
FULL TEXT  

Smoking Cessation Counseling: Training and Practice Among Women Pediatricians
Malarcher et al.
CLIN PEDIATR 2002;41:341-349.
ABSTRACT  

Personal and professional nutrition-related practices of US female physicians
Frank et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2002;75:326-332.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Characteristics of Female Psychiatrists
Frank et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2001;158:205-212.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Characteristics of Women Pediatricians
Frank and Meacham
CLIN PEDIATR 2001;40:17-26.
ABSTRACT  

Self-reported Health, Illness, and Self-care Among Finnish Physicians: A National Survey
Toyry et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:1079-1085.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Use of vitamin-mineral supplements by female physicians in the United States
Frank et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2000;72:969-975.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Personal and Clinical Skin Cancer Prevention Practices of US Women Physicians
Saraiya et al.
Arch Dermatol 2000;136:633-642.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Correlates of Physicians' Prevention-Related Practices: Findings From the Women Physicians' Health Study
Frank et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:359-367.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Physician Disclosure of Healthy Personal Behaviors Improves Credibility and Ability to Motivate
Frank et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:287-290.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Family Responsibilities and Domestic Activities of US Women Physicians
Frank et al.
Arch Fam Med 2000;9:134-140.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Self-Reported Depression and Suicide Attempts Among U.S. Women Physicians
Frank and Dingle
Am. J. Psychiatry 1999;156:1887-1894.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Characteristics of Female Obstetrician-Gynecologists in the United States
FRANK et al.
Obstet Gynecol 1999;94:659-665.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Contraceptive Use by Female Physicians in the United States
FRANK
Obstet Gynecol 1999;94:666-671.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Career Satisfaction of US Women Physicians: Results From the Women Physicians' Health Study
Frank et al.
Arch Intern Med 1999;159:1417-1426.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Characteristics of Women US Family Physicians
Frank and Lutz
Arch Fam Med 1999;8:313-318.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT