[Effects of nurses' beliefs on their communication with alcoholics]

Alcoholism, one of the most frequent diseases in the world, has been transformed in a serious social problem and in Brazil, it has triplicated in the last decades. As nurses, we understand that alcoholics are sick people that need help and that communication is a fundamental method to achieve nursing's intervention goals. Aiming at giving an adequate nursing care it is necessary to know the reasons why nurses have some adverse attitudes related to alcoholics. This inquietude led us to investigate the restraints that interfere in nurse-alcoholics communication, presented in national and international nursing literature reviewed through MEDLINE and CEPEn catalogue. We observed that the alcoholics' stereotype exists and remains constant through the time; the stereotype belief held by health professionals determines the quality of care the patient receives as well as the focus of research and attitudes presented about alcohol and alcoholics. Therefore, the belief would be presenting a negative influence and keeping back the communication between nurse and the alcoholic.