NR ACSN
AU Cohen,H.
TI Bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Doctors are less likely than patients to have stopped eating beef.
QU British Medical Journal 1996 Jul 20; 313(7050): 171-2
KZ BMJ. 1995 Nov 25;311(7017):1415-21. PMID: 8520279 BMJ. 1996 Jan 20;312(7024):180-1. PMID: 8563545 BMJ. 1996 Mar 30;312(7034):790-1. PMID: 8608273
KI BMJ. 1996 Nov 2;313(7065):1146. PMID: 8916717
PT comment; letter
VT
EDITOR,- There has been saturation coverage in the media and several articles in medical journals about the possible relation between bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and consumption of British beef.(1-4) The speculation and hype surrounding this latest food scare have resulted in confusion about the true risks of eating beef. I conducted a study of 43 doctors and 44 patients to determine whether their beef eating habits differed during this crisis and what influence, if any, sex and socioeconomic status might have had.
Table 1 shows my findings.
Table 1 - Results of survey on eating habits of random selection of doctors hand patients conducted during beef crisis. Figures are numbers (percentages)
Had Had Allowed Allowed
stopped stopped children children
eating eating to eat to eat Significance
beef beef beef beef
products products
Doctors chi-2 = 7.0,
(n = 43) 8 (19) 20 (47) 33 (77) 19 (44) P<0.01
Patients chi-2 = 6.2,
(n = 44) 20 (45) 32 (73) 11 (25) 4 (9) P<005
Patients by
occupational chi-2 =
class: 12 (39) 21 (88) 11 (35) 4 (13) 23.3,
II, IIIN, P<0.001
IIIM (n = 31)
Patients by
occupational chi-2 =
class: 6 (48) 10 (77) 0 0 13.7,
IV, V (n = P<0.001
13)
Sex:
Male 5 (16) 21 (44) 31 (65) 18 (38)
(n = 48)
Sex:
Female 23 (59) 31 (79) 13 (33) 5(13)
(n = 39)
Patients were more likely to have stopped eating beef than doctors and to have stopped eating beef products. They were more likely not to allow young children to eat beef (33 (75%)) and beef products (40 (91%)) than were doctors (10 (23%) and 24 (56%) respectively). when patients' responses were analysed by occupational class those in classes IV and V were more likely to have stopped eating beef and beef products than their counterparts in classes II and III. None of those in classes Iv or V would allow young children to eat beef or beef products. When both patients and doctors were analysed by sex women were more likely than men to have stopped eating beef and beef products and less likely than men to allow children to eat these products.
It is not surprising that doctors, with their medical knowledge, have been less worried about bovine spongiform encephalopathy and whether to eat beef than have patients. If; however, the public realised that their own doctors were continuing to eat beef then they might be less concerned. My findings show that socioeconomic status influences eating habits; this possibly reflects educational background (and thus the ability to separate facts and risks from the hype) and sources of information (for example, broadsheet rather than tabloid newspapers).
An important issue is the power of the media to influence diet. If people in lower socioeconomic groups continue to eat less red meat, beefburgers, sausages, etc and to prevent their children from eating these then a fall in the incidence of ischaemic heart disease may result - an unexpected benefit of the saga.
REFERENCES
1 Lacey RW Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. BMJ 1996;312:180-1. (20 January.)
2 Almond J W, Brown P, Gore S M, Hofnan A, Wientjens D P W M, Ridley R M, et al. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy: any connection? BMJ 1995;311:1415-21. (25 November.)
3 Brown P. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. BMJ 1996;312:790-1. (30 March.)
4 Delamothe T. Meltdown: the media and mad cows.< BMJ 1996;312:854-5. (30 March.)
ZR 4 Zitate
MH Animal; Cattle; *Eating; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform/*prevention & control; Human; *Meat; *Physicians
AD HELEN COHEN House officer in general medicine, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, Cardiff CF64 2XX
SP englisch
PO England