title: Alcohol dependence in women: difficulty of its assessment in general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In France, women represent approximately 20% of alcohol-dependent subjects. Although general practitioners (GPs) are often these women's first medical contact, GPs may be reluctant to probe for alcohol dependence.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this context, in 1996 and 2006 we conducted a cross-sectional survey using self-completion postal questionnaires sent to all GPs in a French département (administrative area), with the aim to explore and to compare after a ten-year time lapse, expectations and relational difficulties in managing alcohol dependence in women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 300 GPs returned the questionnaire for the two data collection times. According to the GPs, comparing 1996 and 2006, there was less embarrassment among female patient to talk about alcohol consumption and a lesser tendency to break off medical care (33.7% vs. 47.3%, p < 0.001, and 13.3% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.002, respectively). In 2006, more GPs considered they were well informed about specialized care in alcohol dependence than in 1996 (76.8% vs. 59.9%, p < 0.0001), and more often reported referring their female patients to specialized centers (73.0% vs. 52.7%, p < 0.0001), rather than medical or psychiatric wards. Young GPs, aged under 40, seem rather to have had difficulty using the managed care network than lacking medical knowledge related to female alcohol dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that over ten years there has been a decrease in the tendency among women to deny their alcohol dependence, and that they more readily accept specific care. In the same period, GPs have benefited from better information about specialized management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, University of Reims, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Claire-Lise
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Charrel
authors.forename: Christine-Vanessa
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Cuervo-Lombard
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miron
authors.forename: Valeriu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fruntes
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Béra-Potelle
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Limosin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure