Periodic Survey of Fellows #54 - Pediatricians' Personal Health Behaviors, Sense of Work-Family Balance and Counseling Patients on Lifestyle/Self-care Issues, 4/04

Overall, 36% of pediatricians reported following at least 10 of 13 recommended healthy behaviors.

Fewer than half of pediatricians report they eat the USDA-recommended 5 servings of fruit/vegetables and 3 low-fat meals per day at least three times a week (44% and 46%, respectively). Sixty percent of pediatricians say they have not had more than 2 alcoholic beverages on any given day during the past month. Only 53% get at least 7 hours of sleep per night at least 3 times per week, and only 35% exercise vigorously 20 minutes or more at least 3 times per week.
Nearly all pediatricians (93%) use a safety belt when driving or riding in a motor vehicle; whereas only 72% of those who ride bicycles say they always use a helmet.
Eight out of 10 pediatricians have a personal physician and about the same proportion have had a physical exam, including a cancer screening or other screening test or procedure within the last 3 years (85%, 77%, 75%, respectively).
Only 1% of pediatricians say they currently smoke cigarettes: 83% have never smoked and 16% are former smokers.
Seven out of 10 pediatricians rate their physical health as very good to excellent.

COUNSELING ON HEALTH BEHAVIORS/LIFESTYLE ISSUES

Overall, about 17% of pediatricians say they always or almost always discuss most preventive care topics (8 of 11listed topics) at age-appropriate visits with patients older than 5 years.
	Pediatricians who follow most of the recommended healthy behaviors (at least 10 of 13) are more likely than those who do not to always/almost always discuss a majority of the listed preventive care topics with their patients (22% v 13%, p<.01).
Pediatricians spend an average of 7 minutes addressing lifestyle/self-care issues with patients 6 to 11 years of age, about 8 minutes with patients 12 to 16 years old, and 9 minutes with patients older than 16 years. Pediatricians overwhelmingly agree (96%) on the importance of addressing lifestyle/self-care issues in childhood to prevent or ameliorate the risk for many adult diseases. Most pediatricians (57%) think parents/patients are interested in advice about personal lifestyle/self-care issues. However, only 42% think their educational efforts are effective in improving or changing patients' personal health habits. Only 30% feel they have received adequate professional training in the area of counseling techniques/behavior modification.

WORK-FAMILY BALANCE

84% of pediatricians live with a spouse/partner/significant other, 62% of whom are employed full-time. About half of pediatricians (54%) have children under the age of 19 living at home and 27% of pediatricians are responsible in some way for an elderly parent or other relative by either providing financial support, supervising/arranging for care by others, or providing the care themselves.
Overall, few pediatricians are satisfied with the amount of time they have to pursue family and personal activities:
	Only 43% are satisfied with the time they have to spend with their children and 41% are dissatisfied; 38% are satisfied with the amount of time they have to spend with their spouse/partner, while 45% are dissatisfied; 28% say they are satisfied with the amount of time they have to spend with elderly parents, 37% are dissatisfied and 35% are unsure. Only 26% of pediatricians are satisfied with the amount of time they have to pursue personal interests or hobbies while 56% are dissatisfied; 26% are satisfied with the amount of time they have to spend with friends and 48% are dissatisfied; 23% are satisfied with amount of time spent in community activities, 43% are dissatisfied, and 34% are unsure.
Pediatricians are satisfied with many aspects of their professional life as a physician:
	Most pediatricians are satisfied with their patient relationships and interactions (88%), the way they practice medicine (82%), their relationships with medical colleagues (78%) and their work environment (70%). Nearly half of pediatricians (47%) are satisfied with the number of hours they work per week and with their income, while about one-fourth are unsure about each. Pediatricians are divided on how they feel about the amount of time they spend on administrative responsibilities: 33% are satisfied, 31% are dissatisfied and 36% are uncertain. Most pediatricians are not sure about how they feel about their level of involvement with professional society activities: 33% are satisfied, 20% are not and 47% are unsure.
About 7 out of 10 pediatricians (72%) say they would choose medicine again as a career path; 18% are unsure. However, only 50% say they would recommend medicine as a career to their child or another young person, 22% would not, and 29% are unsure.

BALANCING WORK AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE

More than half of pediatricians feel stressed trying to balance work and personal responsibilities: 12% feel very stressed and 43% feel moderately stressed; 38% say they experience little stress and 8% report no stress.
Only 19% of pediatricians are satisfied with the current balance between work and personal responsibilities. Among those not satisfied, 44% say reduced working hours would make the greatest overall improvement in this balance.

American Academy of Pediatrics, Division of Health Policy Research
Periodic Survey #54: Executive Summary
"Pediatricians' Personal Health Behaviors, Sense of Work-Family Balance and Counseling Patients on Lifestyle/Self-care Issues", April 2004

Not for citation or quotation without permission of the author