[Misleading information on smoking in German medical textbooks]

(Fehlinformation zum Tabakrauchen in deutschen Medizin-Lehrbüchern.)

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND

AND OBJECTIVE:
Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and lung cancer. While nicotine causes addiction, heart and lung diseases are caused by other substances contained in tobacco smoke. This study assessed whether these facts are adequately portrayed in German medical textbooks.

METHODS:
The sections on cardiovascular and lung cancer risk factors in 28 German textbooks of internal medicine, available in two bookstores as well as the library of Göttingen University (Germany), were scanned for the words "smoking" and "nicotine" as risk factors for coronary artery disease and lung cancer.

RESULTS:
In 12 of the 25 textbooks covering cardiovascular disease, smoking was mentioned as a risk factor for coronary artery disease; another 12 textbooks listed nicotine or nicotine addiction. In one textbook both terms were used. While smoking was referred to in all 21 textbooks that also discussed risk factors for lung cancer, nicotine was not mentioned in this context.

CONCLUSION:
Many German textbooks of internal medicine contain misleading terms for the health effects of smoking, which may influence the thoughts and possibly also the behaviour of their readers. The use of the words "smoking" and "nicotine" as synonymous within the context of cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting a causal relationship between nicotine and coronary heart disease, is incorrect and should be removed from the specialist medical literature.

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Author information

Author/s: Raupach, T (T); Bätzing, S (S); Wiebel, F (F); Andreas, S (S);

Affiliation: Abteilung für Kardiologie und Pneumologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany. raupach(-atsign-)med.uni-goettingen.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: English Abstract; Journal Article

Journal: Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) (Dtsch Med Wochenschr), published in Germany. (Language: ger)

Reference: 2007-Feb; vol 132 (issue 6) : pp 261-4

Dates: Created 2007/02/01; Completed 2007/03/08; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 17268951, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Coronary Disease - etiology
Education, Medical - standards
Germany
Humans
Lung Neoplasms - etiology

Nicotine - adverse effects
Risk Factors
Smoking - adverse effects
Textbooks as Topic - standards
Tobacco Use Disorder - complications

Associated Chemicals: Nicotine (54-11-5)

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