Substance Abuse Patterns and Psychiatric Symptomatology Among Three Healthcare Provider Groups Evaluated in an Out-Patient Program for Impaired Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

Three impaired health care provider groups (N = 84) (nurses, pharmacists, and providers with prescriptive authority) referred for a substance abuse evaluation at an outpatient-based program were compared on demographic and family factors, substance abuse patterns, and psychiatric symptomology as assessed by the Personality Assessment Inventory. Nurses had the highest rates of family history of addiction, problems with benzodiazepines, and psychiatric comorbidity. Overall, health care professionals endorsed opioids twice as often as alcohol as a preferred substance. Family history of addiction, sex, and psychiatric comorbidity emerged as salient factors among these health care professionals. Clinical implications are examined in light of the current findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Health care professionals
• substance abuse
• psychiatric comorbidity
• Personality Assessment Inventory

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Medicine Alumni Association and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.