Drinking Patterns of Doctors: a comparison between Aarhus in Denmark and Mainz in Germany

Abstract

The aims of this study was to compare the drinking patterns of General Practitioners (GPs) and Hospital Practitioners (HPs) between Aarhus in Denmark and Mainz in Germany, to determine useful precursors of risk drinking among doctors and to serve as a useful data source for policy makers who have an interest in planning preventive strategies for doctors. In the winter of 2000, the data were collected in an anonymous mailed survey. The identified sample was n = 572 , and the response rate 66% (n = 374). Regression models on drinking patterns controlled for gender, age, profession and nationality. It was found that the majority of doctors in Aarhus (87.3%) and Mainz (97.5%) consumed alcohol at a sensible level (less than 14 units for women and less than 21 units for men; 1 unit = 12 g of pure alcohol). They drank twice to three times a week, and they preferred wine to beer and spirits. Doctors in Aarhus consumed a significantly larger amount of alcohol, and the rate of risk and binge drinkers was also higher among them. Within nationality, doctors had, to a great extent, similarities in their drinking patterns. The professional status correlated with the volume of alcohol consumption: GPs in Aarhus and in Mainz consumed significantly more alcohol than HPs did. Among doctors in Aarhus, the rate of risk drinkers was also higher among GPs. It was concluded that, even though the minority of doctors were risk drinkers, the attention must still be focussd on this group on account of its function for preventive work in the health sector.