Attitudes and management of alcohol problems in general practice: descriptive analysis based on findings of a World Health Organization international collaborative survey.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if general practitioners' (GPs) experience of education on alcohol, support in their working environment for intervening with alcohol problems, and their attitudes have an impact on the number of patients they manage with alcohol problems.


METHODS
1300 GPs from nine countries were surveyed with a postal questionnaire as part of a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborative study.


RESULTS
GPs who received more education on alcohol (OR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.7), who perceived that they were working in a supportive environment (OR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.4-1.9), who expressed higher role security in working with alcohol problems (OR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5-2.5) and who reported greater therapeutic commitment to working with alcohol problems (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7) were more likely to manage patients with alcohol-related harm.


CONCLUSIONS
Both education and support in the working environment need to be provided to enhance the involvement of GPs in the management of alcohol problems.
Anderson
Peter
P
Centre for Quality of Care Research, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. PDAnderson@compuserve.com
Kaner
Eileen
E
Wutzke
Sonia
S
Wensing
Michel
M
Grol
Richard
R
Heather
Nick
N
Saunders
John
J
D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001290:Attitude; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014944:World Health Organization