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Detection of addiction in medical professionals an eye opener

Authors:ANIL BATTA
Int J Biol Med Res. 2011; 2(3): 796-799  |  PDF File

Abstract

The medical professionals are vulnerable to substances of abuse/addiction due to their ready accessibility to the substances of abuse. Of particular concern is the finding of a lack of gender differences in problematic drinking with the pattern of female addicts drinking rates for women approximating that of men by the end of medical school. There is higher percentage use of alcohol, tranquillizers and narcotics among medical students. Majority of the substance-abusing doctors are graduates, belong to medicine specialty (21%) and majority of them prescribe drugs to themselves (37%). Medical student abuse is the major risk factors. Despite paucity of studies in Indian population, substance use is reported between 32.5% to as high as 81.2% among medical students, interns and house physicians. In spite of the treatment dilemmas, the physicians do respond favorably to treatment. These findings have implications in planning preventive and interventional strategies for this professional group. This study explores the attitudes and perceptions of medical students concerning patients with addictions and policy issues related to drugs. Over 100 students from PGIMER students responded to an anonymous survey concerning their experience and training regarding addictions, and their level of support or opposition for various drug policy approaches. Quantitative and qualitative epidemiological investigation of substance use within a student population was seen during their mandatory preventive health visit at the OPD medical facility. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of psychotropic (Narcotics) & tranquilizers drug consumption by students undergoing medical courses of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh India to verify aspects related to those addictions.