چکیده (انگلیسی):

Background:A prerequisite for early lung cancer diagnosis is that individuals with respiratory alarm symptoms
(RAS) contact a general practitioner (GP). This study aims to determine the proportion of individuals in the general
population who contact a GP with RAS and to analyse the association between lifestyle factors and contact to GPs
with RAS.
Methods:A web-based survey of 100 000 individuals randomly selected from the Danish Civil Registration System.
Items regarding experience of RAS (prolonged coughing, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and prolonged
hoarseness), GP contacts, and lifestyle factors (smoking status, alcohol intake, and body mass index) were included.
Results:In total 49 706 (52.5 %) individuals answered the questionnaire. Overall 7870 reported at least one
respiratory alarm symptom, and of those 39.6 % (3 080) had contacted a GP. Regarding specific symptoms, the
proportion of individuals that had contacted a GP varied from 27.4 % (prolonged hoarseness) to 47.9 % (shortness
of breath). Being a woman and increasing age were significantly associated with a higher proportion of GP
contacts. For both genders, current smoking and alcohol intake were significantly associated with lower odds of
contacting a GP.
Conclusion:Among individuals with RAS, less than one-half contacted a GP. Gender, age, smoking status, and
alcohol intake significantly influenced whether individuals with RAS contacted a GP.
Trial registration:The project has been approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (journal no. 2011-41-6651).