[Alcohol dependent patients in family doctor's practice in Gdańsk]

Abstract

Polish family doctors have been given legal rights to diagnose and treat patients with alcohol dependency. Unfortunately, majority of general practitioners do not have proper knowledge and motivation required for this kind of treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the preparedness of family doctors in Gdańsk to diagnose and treat patients with alcohol dependency. Fifty family doctors from Gdańsk were included in the study. Forty five agreed to answer the anonymous questionnaire. Forty two out of 45 family doctors did not know the basic notions connected with diagnosis and therapy of alcohol dependency. The screening tests, helpful in the diagnosis of alcohol dependency, were not used by general practitioners--42 of them (almost 94%) did not treat alcohol abusers pharmacologically, and 18 (aprox. 40%) did not have time for such patients. It seems that there is an urgent need to provide further education for general practitioners and make better use of the existing structures engaged in the diagnosis and therapy of alcohol abusers.