Gender of Physicians with Substance Use Disorders: Clinical Characteristics, Treatment Utilization, and Post-treatment Functioning

Abstract

Gender has emerged as an important variable in both the course and treatment of substance-use disorders. This study examines the role of gender in a sample of physicians (n = 73) treated for substance-use disorders. Pilot data gathered on physicians treated during 1995 to 1997, included initial pretreatment characteristics, service utilization, and posttreatment functioning. Although there were many similarities, important differences emerged among the groups. These differences have implications for physician education and training and warrant more systematic clinical research.

• Substance use disorders
• Substance abuse treatment
• Addicted physicians
• Gender and addiction

Resumen

El genero del individuo ha surgido como una variable importante tanto en el curso en el tratiamento de desordenes de usos de substancias. Este estudio examina el papel del genero en una muestra de medicos (n = 73) tratados por desordenes de abuso de substancias. Datos adelantados recogidos sobre medicos tratados durante los anos 1995 a 1997 incluyeron caracteristicas de pre-tratamiento, utilizacion de los servicios, y functionamiento posterior al tratamiento. Aunque habia muchas similitudes, resaltaron muchas diferencias entro los dos grupos. Estas diferencias tienen implicaciones para la educacion y la preparacion de futuros medicos, y merece investigation clinica mas sistematica.

Résumé

Le sexe de l’individu ressort comme une variable importante a la fois pour le cours de la maladie et le traitement des desordres associes a la consommation de drogues et autres substances. Cette etude examine le role joue par le sexe parmis un echantillon de docteurs (n = 73) traites pour pendant la periode entre 1995 et 1997 incluent les conditions initiales (pre-traitments), l’utilisation de services de traitement et les comportements apres-traitement. Bien qu’il y ait beaucoup de similitudes, ont des immplications quant a l’education et lapprentissage et merite, donc plus de recherche clinique et une etude (d’une facon encore) plus sytemmatique.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mark P. McGovern

Mark P. McGovern, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, the Director of the Dartmouth Center on Addiction, Recovery and Education, and with the New Hampshire–Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, in Hanover and Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Daniel H. Angres

Daniel H. Angres, M.D., is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Section of Addiction Medicine, Rush–Presbyterian–St.Luke's Medical Center, Director of Rush Behavioral Health, and a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, in Chicago and Downers Grove, Illinois.

Matthew Shaw

Matthew Shaw, M.Div., is a doctoral student in the Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Medical School, and with the Institute for Health Services Research, Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois.

Purva Rawal

Purva Rawal, B.A., is a graduate student with the Institute for Health Services Research and Policy Studies, Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois.