title: Treatment Professionals' Basic Beliefs About Alcohol Use Disorders: The Impact of Different Cultural Contexts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of alcohol abusers in different cultural contexts does not depend only on the methods used but also on the ways in which treatment providers perceive the problem and relate to their clients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study compares treatment professionals' basic beliefs about alcohol use disorders in two culturally different European countries to find out to what extent these ideas are shaped by the respondents' socio-cultural context, profession, and other background variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Similar postal surveys were conducted among professionals working in specialized addiction treatment units in Finland (n = 520) and France (n = 472). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent cultural differences were found in almost all the questions asked and they remained significant even after controlling for the other background factors. The French professionals emphasized the addictiveness of alcohol more than their Finnish colleagues. They also believed less in the chances of recovery and attributed more responsibility for the problem to external factors, while the Finns emphasized individual responsibility. Profession, gender and some other background variables also modified beliefs about specific questions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cultural factors shape the ways in which alcohol use disorders are perceived more pervasively than the other background variables. The French professionals' low trust in treatment and the Finnish professionals' lack of concern for the addiction potential of alcohol and stronger tendency to regard the person as responsible for the problem could be seen as potential impediments to effective ways of helping alcohol abusers in these countries.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere , Tampere , Finland.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koski-Jännes
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere , Tampere , Finland.
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennonen
authors.affiliation: b CERMES3, University Paris Descartes, INSERM U988, CNRS UMR 8211 , Paris , France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simmat-Durand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Cross-cultural; Finland; France; alcohol use disorders; beliefs; images; professional; survey