A preliminary survey of nurses' health-related behaviours

The substance-use, positive health practices, diet and eating habits, driving behaviours and preventive health care practices of 113 nurses living in the southeast of England were assessed by means of a postal questionnaire. Females were generally more compliant than males with most of the behaviours assessed. Females reported taking greater risks with driving behaviours by an occasional tendency to "drink and drive". Many males reported both a lack of knowledge of how to self-examine their testicles for signs of cancer and little compliance with this behaviour. This sample reported more smoking and alcohol use than previously reported samples of American nurses and UK norms. The nurses in this sample were more likely to avoid foods high in cholesterol, add fibre to their diet and be more vigilant in their driving behaviour than American nurses and British non-nurses.