Characteristics and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada: prospective descriptive study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics at enrollment and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada.


METHODS
Prospective descriptive study.


METHODS
Provincial physician health programme, Canada.


METHODS
All 100 doctors consecutively admitted to a substance dependence monitoring programme and followed until completion of monitoring or on leaving the programme.


METHODS
Relapse during long term monitoring for five years.


RESULTS
Ninety per cent of the doctors enrolled on the programme were men, 66% were married or living with a partner, 44% had had previous treatment for substance dependence, and 36% had had previous psychiatric treatment. Smokers were over-represented compared with the general population of US doctors (38% v 5%). During the monitoring period 71% of participants had no known relapse. An additional 14% went on to complete the programme, after some form of relapse. In total, 85% of the doctors successfully completed the programme.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort of doctors enrolled on the Ontario Physician Health Program for substance dependence, most were men who were dependent on alcohol or opioids. Smokers were over-represented compared with the general population of US doctors. Eighty five per cent successfully completed the programme.
Brewster
Joan M
JM
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada. jmbrewster@sympatico.ca
Kaufmann
I Michael
IM
Hutchison
Sarah
S
MacWilliam
Cynthia
C
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D010815:Physician Impairment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*