Motivating lifestyle change.
The family physician has enormous opportunities to facilitate healthy lifestyle changes among his patients. It is believed that an unhealthy lifestyle may account for 50 percent of the mortality in the United States. The family physician sees large numbers of well or asymptomatic at-risk patients in the course of practice. In addition, he or she sees other family members and has opportunities to interact with the family unit as a whole. The family, in turn, has powerful molding influences on the individual's health beliefs and actions. If the physician can realize the impact his attitudes and actions have on his families' health, beliefs, and behavior, the multiplication of effects can be considerable.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009042:Motivation