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The alcoholic physician: a survey

L Bissell, R W Jones

    The American Journal of Psychiatry
    |October 1, 1976
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    This study interviewed 98 recovered alcoholic physicians, finding psychiatry overrepresented and many with prior drug issues. Despite legal troubles, formal disciplinary actions from peers or organizations were uncommon for these physicians in recovery.

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    Area of Science:

    • Medical Professional Health
    • Addiction Medicine
    • Physician Well-being

    Background:

    • Physician substance use disorders (SUDs) are a significant concern.
    • Understanding the recovery patterns and challenges of alcoholic physicians is crucial for targeted interventions.
    • Previous research has not fully elucidated the characteristics and post-recovery experiences of physicians with alcohol use disorder.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the characteristics of recovered alcoholic physicians.
    • To explore the prevalence of co-occurring substance use and disciplinary actions.
    • To identify factors associated with successful long-term abstinence in physicians.

    Main Methods:

    • Qualitative interviews were conducted with 98 physicians who had achieved at least one year of continuous abstinence from alcohol.

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  • Data collected included demographic information, specialty, academic performance, history of other substance use, and experiences with legal and disciplinary actions.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant patterns and correlations.

    • Main Results:

    • Psychiatry was the most overrepresented medical specialty among the interviewed physicians.
    • A significant proportion of subjects (nearly 50%) reported prior difficulties with substances other than alcohol.
    • Despite common legal sanctions and institutionalizations, formal disciplinary responses from medical organizations or colleagues were infrequently reported.

    Conclusions:

    • Recovered alcoholic physicians often exhibit specific demographic and professional characteristics, including overrepresentation in psychiatry and high academic achievement.
    • The co-occurrence of other substance use disorders is common in this population.
    • Physicians in recovery may face significant legal and institutional consequences, yet often experience limited formal professional repercussions, highlighting a potential gap in medical professional oversight and support systems.