Even though smoking is a risk factor for multiple types of cancer, more than half of smokers diagnosed with the disease keep using tobacco, and doctors aren't doing enough to help them quit.
A West Virginia University survey published in the Journal of Oncology Practice found that 44 percent of smokers quit after being diagnosed with cancer.
Now, what was your first reaction upon reading that lede? I'm guessing something along the lines of, "What a bunch of bloody fools!"
And that is precisely the reaction we encounter from focus group jurors when discussing smoking habits. In medical malpractice cases, we've observed how a patient's decision to smoke typically illicit strong opinions about personal responsibility. However, it's nothing compared to the vitriol jurors unleash on patients who continue to smoke or resume poor health choices after a bad diagnosis.
Which brings us to the next finding of the study: "doctors aren't doing enough to help them quit."
Less than two thirds, 62 percent, say they received advice from doctors or nurses about quitting the habit.
Dr. Jame Abraham, the study's lead author, says the survey shows there's a need for intervention programs to help cancer patients quit tobacco.
Really? Being diagnosed with cancer isn't enough to make someone quit, but a nurse's stern words and a colorful pamphlet are? Talk about a personal responsibility deficit.
Especially in more conservative jurisdictions, a perceived lack of personal responsibility on the patient's part can heavily influence a jurors' desire to award money.
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