The identification and management of substance misuse problems by general practitioners
Journal of Mental HealthPublished 1 January 1996
MARY ALISON DU PARAMABANDHU GROVES JOAN HEUSTON
Citations21
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.21
SNIP1.24
Generate an AI Snapshot to get a quick, structured summary of this paper.
Study Snapshot
ObjectiveStudy objective
MethodsResearch methodology
PopulationPopulation studied
Sample sizeSample sizes
OutcomesStudy outcomes here
ResultsStudy results comes here
LimitationsResearch study limitations comes here
A concise AI-generated summary of the paper will appear here once you click Generate AI Snapshot.
TL;DR
The findings differ from previous surveys and suggest that general practitioners may be becoming more active in the treatment of patients with problems of substance misuse.
Abstract
Central policy has increasingly encouraged general practitioners to be involved in treating patients with problems of substance misuse. A postal questionnaire was sent to all 416 general practitioners in the South East London Health Authority area to explore the extent of their identification and management of patients who smoke, or misuse alcohol or illicit opiates. A high response rate (78%) was achieved over three waves. Most doctors reported asking their patients about smoking and drinking and offering advice where a problem is found. Two-thirds of the general practitioners reported having seen at least one opiate misusing patient in the previous four weeks. More than a quarter reported always or often prescribing medication such as methadone for opiate misusing patients. Our findings differ from previous surveys and suggest that general practitioners may be becoming more active in the treatment of patients with problems of substance misuse.
Keywords
Medicine
PubMedTelephone versus postal surveys of general practitioners: methodological considerations.
162 Citations1994BS Sibbald, Julia Addington‐Hall +2 more
It is suggested that non-response to the postal survey was associated with lack of activity in the study area and a social desirability bias may have been introduced.
AddictionTransitions in patterns of heroin administration: a study of heroin chasers and heroin injectors
154 Citations1994Paul Griffiths, Michael Gossop +2 more
Harm reduction interventions directed towards changing the risk behaviours of heroin users should take account of the different routes of current administration and the potential for future transitions within continued drug use.
British Journal of AddictionGeneral practitioners' experiences of patients with drug and alcohol problems
102 Citations1991Ann Roche, COLLEEN GURAY +1 more
The study revealed that most doctors are not as threatened, resistant or pessimistic about drug and alcohol intervention as much of the previous work in the area would suggest, however, they held different views according to the drug in question.
BMJFindings of a national survey of the role of general practitioners in the treatment of opiate misuse: extent of contact with opiate misusers.
71 Citations1986Alan Glanz, C. Barr Taylor
The scale of contact confirmed the importance of the general practitioner in the national response to drug misuse, with between 30,000 and 44,000 new cases of opiate misuse presenting to general practitioners in a year.
Europe PMC (PubMed Central)Prevention in general practice: the views of doctors in the Oxford region.
64 Citations1991Angela Coulter, Theo Schofield
Despite considerable enthusiasm for their role in preventive health care, before the imposition of the new contact most general practitioners in the Oxford region had not yet embraced the model of prevention which the contract aims to encourage: systematic screening for risk factors and lifestyle advice for all patients.
PubMedDo general practitioners and general psychiatrists want to look after drug misusers? Evaluation of a non-specialist treatment policy.
37 Citations1993Digby Tantam, Michael Donmall +2 more
A new means of monitoring drug misuse which was developed in the north west of England, but is now widely used throughout the United Kingdom, is described and evaluated and revealed a fall in the number of drug misusers attended by general practitioners and general psychiatrists and a reduction in the services provided for them bygeneral practitioners.
BMJFindings of a national survey of the role of general practitioners in the treatment of opiate misuse: dealing with the opiate misuser.
36 Citations1986Alan Glanz
It is indicated that most general practitioners refer patients with drug dependence clinics or to general psychiatric services but rarely to other agencies, and the rate of notification to the Home Office conforms with that in other studies and indicates a high degree of undernotification.
PubMedHow willing are general practitioners to manage narcotic misuse?
24 Citations1990G Bell, John Cohen +1 more
In 1989 a self-administered questionnaire concerning current management of, attitudes to, and knowledge of, narcotic misuse was completed by 206 Inner London general practitioners, showing that whilst over three quarters were prepared to offer patients supportive interviews, few were willing to prescribe for them.
PubMedHIV infection and Scottish general practice: knowledge and attitudes.
22 Citations1989S A Naji, I T Russell +4 more
If practitioners are to fulfil their potential for tackling the problems of HIV infection, they need increased resources and a policy for education and training that is responsive to local needs.
PubMedLondon general practitioners' involvement with HIV infection.
15 Citations1989Michaelb . King
Doctors who had HIV positive patients and had graduated in the UK within the past 10 years were likely to have the greatest knowledge of, and most positive attitudes towards AIDS.
PubMedAIDS and the future general practitioner.
14 Citations1988Bonnie Sibbald, P Freeling
It is suggested that trainers need to improve their practice in areas concerned with the AIDS problem in order to provide a better learning model for their trainees.
Addictive BehaviorsTraining employment service staff to recognise and respond to clients with drug and alcohol problems
11 Citations1994Michael Gossop, Richard Birkin
Investigation of a training course for Employment Service staff which was designed to provide basic level training on the identification and appropriate management of clients with drug and alcohol problems showed substantial improvements in the confidence and ability of staff to deal with clients presenting with drug or alcohol problems.
PubMedProblem drug users known to Bristol general practitioners.
9 Citations1987J. E. S. Parker, M Gay
A 12-month prospective survey was undertaken of all 239 problem drug users known to general practitioners in Bristol and the doctors' attitudes towards them, finding that opiate dependence was the commonest single problem but ill health, hepatitis, psychiatric illnesses, relationship problems, work and financial difficulties were also frequently mentioned.