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The Doctor Will Fix It-Reply
Betty E. Cogswell, PhD;
Michael S. Eggert, MSIV
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Arch Fam Med. 1993;2(12):1223.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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In reply
We agree with Dr Johnson that physicians should empower their patients to take responsibility for their own lifestyle decisions. The people we interviewed, however, suggested that they could be more successful in taking on healthier lifestyles if they saw their doctors regularly and their doctors encouraged them.1 Some patients, particularly those who on their own have tried and failed, need help in building their self-efficacy and in designing an individualized and realistic plan of change. Others want a physician to help them resolve conflicting information that they have received from spas, diet programs, and the mass media.
Although research shows that only 5% to 10% of patients may respond to a physician's suggestion to quit smoking, to lose weight, or to begin exercising regularly, some patients are shocked that their doctor has neverraised the issue and falsely assume that their doctor does not think it is important for them
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
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