A longitudinal study of family practice residents' attitudes toward alcoholism

This study sought to analyze whether the experience of residency training at a public hospital where alcoholism is highly prevalent, combined with a didactic program emphasizing community resources, would result in changes in residents' baseline attitudes. Previous research has suggested that alcoholism-related attitudes are therapeutically important.

Forty-three family practice residents took the Marcus Alcoholism Questionnaire at the beginning, and at the end, of their 3-year training program. Initial scores were compared with an "expert" sample (Toronto Alcohol and Drug Research Foundation). Residents' initial and final scores were also compared.

Residents' entry attitudes were similar to those of the "expert" sample. On six of nine scales, there were no significant changes between entry and exit attitudes. At final testing, however, residents were significantly more likely to agree that a periodic excessive drinker can be an alcoholic (t = -3.15, P < .01), that alcoholism is not an illness (t = -2.57, P < .05), and that alcoholism is a harmless voluntary indulgence (t = 2.08, P < .05). However, exit means for the latter two scales still remained in a functional category, when compared with the expert sample.

Resident attitudes did not show any substantial deterioration during the course of training. The structured curriculum emphasizing community resources and positive role models may have counterbalanced the frustrations of the clinical training site.