Health education and prevention in general practice- the views of GP trainees

THIS paper presents the results of a questionnaire given to 118 general practice trainees, to provide baseline data for the development of new teaching materials on health education for use in general prac tice vocational training. The questionnaire looked at their knowledge of 'anticipatory care', as well as at their attitudes to the practice of health education in their own consultations. The results suggest that, while trainees have a sound knowledge of most pre ventive and health education issues, the attitudes of the majority to these issues may act to keep them from putting their knowledge into practice. New education materials for general practice vocational training may therefore be usefully directed towards the trainees' attitudes, orientations and perceptions about their work, which constrain and circumscribe their practice of prevention and health education.