Alcohol abuse called problem for surgeons
Alcohol abuse is a "significant problem" for surgeons in the United States, with more than 15% of respondents in a nationwide survey signaling that they might have dependency issues, the American College of Surgeons reports.
The survey found that the rate of alcohol use disorders among the 7,197 responding surgeons is slightly higher than that of the general U.S. population.
For surgeons reporting dependency issues, the survey found there was a "strong association" with problems in personal and professional relationships that included burnout, depression, and medical errors, the authors report. In fact, the study found that nearly 78% of surgeons reporting a medical error in the previous three months also had issues with alcohol abuse or dependence.
The study recommends that healthcare organizations and professional associations, including the American College of Surgeons, develop early warning and intervention programs that identify problem drinkers and provide treatment and therapy options. "These findings should also decrease the shame and stigma associated with alcohol abuse or dependence and encourage surgeons to pursue treatment and rehabilitation to promote patient safety and personal well-being," the authors write.
Alcohol disorders target female surgeons particularly hard. The survey found that 25.6% of female surgeons indicated that they have alcohol use issues, compared with 13.9% of their male colleagues. By contrast, in the general population, 9.4% meet the criteria for alcohol and substance abuse, including 10.5% of men and 5.1% of women.
Reference
1. Oreskovich MR, Kaups KL, Balch CM, et al. Prevalence of alcohol use disorders among American surgeons. Arch Surg 2012; 147:168-174.
Alcohol abuse is a "significant problem" for surgeons in the United States, with more than 15% of respondents in a nationwide survey signaling that they might have dependency issues, the American College of Surgeons reports.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content