Attitudes of anesthesiologists about addiction and its treatment: a survey of Illinois and Wisconsin members of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
OBJECTIVE
To survey practicing anesthesiologists about their attitudes about addiction and its treatment by means of a previously validated instrument.


METHODS
Anonymous mail survey.


METHODS
Metropolitan medical college.


METHODS
Active members of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Illinois and Wisconsin.


RESULTS
The survey consisted of 50 statements presented in a five item Likert (agreement-disagreement) format that evaluated five attitude factors: permissiveness, nonstereotypes, treatment interventions, treatment optimism, and nonmoralism. Five hundred twelve completed and 21 undeliverable surveys were returned from 1,656 surveys mailed (response rate = 31%). The raw scores for the five attitude factors were permissiveness 25 +/- 6, nonstereotypes 34 +/- 6, treatment interventions 32 +/- 4, treatment optimism 19 +/- 3, and nonmoralism 31 +/- 5 (means +/- SD). Anesthesiologists with a personal history of addiction recorded attitude scores that were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those of their colleagues. Formal training in substance abuse management, attendance at a Twelve Step meeting as either a participant or an observer, and experience with a friend, relative, or colleague with addiction were also associated with significantly higher attitude scores. The attitude scores of anesthesiologists were consistently below those previously reported for clinicians who regularly care for patients with addiction.


CONCLUSIONS
Personal experience with, or education about, addiction contributes to a more positive attitude about addiction. Anesthesiologists have less positive attitudes about addiction than do physicians who regularly manage the disease.
May
Judith A
JA
Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
Warltier
David C
DC
Pagel
Paul S
PS
D000776:Anesthesiology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D014922:Wisconsin