The choking game: physician perspectives. Pediatrics 2010 Jan;125(1):82-7
Date
12/17/2009Pubmed ID
20008424DOI
10.1542/peds.2009-1287Scopus ID
2-s2.0-74049155934 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 30 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The goal was to assess awareness of the choking game among physicians who care for adolescents and to explore their opinions regarding its inclusion in anticipatory guidance.
METHODS: We surveyed 865 pediatricians and family practitioners. The survey was designed to assess physicians' awareness of the choking game and its warning signs, the suspected prevalence of patients' participation in the activity, and the willingness of physicians to include the choking game in adolescent anticipatory guidance. Information on the general use of anticipatory guidance also was collected.
RESULTS: The survey was completed by 163 physicians (response rate: 21.8%). One-hundred eleven (68.1%) had heard of the choking game, 68 of them (61.3%) through sources in the popular media. General pediatricians were significantly more likely to report being aware of the choking game than were family practitioners or pediatric subspecialists (P = .004). Of physicians who were aware of the choking game, 75.7% identified >or=1 warning sign and 52.3% identified >or=3. Only 7.6% of physicians who were aware of the choking game reported that they cared for a patient they suspected was participating in the activity, and 2 (1.9%) reported that they include the choking game in anticipatory guidance for adolescents. However, 64.9% of all respondents agreed that the choking game should be included in anticipatory guidance.
CONCLUSIONS: Close to one third of physicians surveyed were unaware of the choking game, a potentially life-threatening activity practiced by adolescents. Despite acknowledging that the choking game should be included in adolescent anticipatory guidance, few physicians reported actually discussing it. To provide better care for their adolescent patients, pediatricians and family practitioners should be knowledgeable about risky behaviors encountered by their patients, including the choking game, and provide timely guidance about its dangers.
Author List
McClave JL, Russell PJ, Lyren A, O'Riordan MA, Bass NEAuthor
Nancy Bass MD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdolescent Behavior
Adult
Aged
Airway Obstruction
Attitude of Health Personnel
Confidence Intervals
Counseling
Family Practice
Female
Health Care Surveys
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pediatrics
Physician-Patient Relations
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
Probability
Risk-Taking
United States
