Physician Rehabilitation Program report on 70 impaired physicians, 29 (41%) suffered from drug addiction as the primary impairment, 25 (36%) had alcoholism as the primary impairment, 12 (17%) had psychiatric illness and 4 (6%) had physical disabilities (Madden 201-5).
The prevalence of impairment from substance abuse, alcoholism and mental disorders in the general population has been estimated to be as high as 19%. The nationally recognized Medical Association of Georgia program for impaired health professionals has treated more than 2,100 impaired health professionals since 1975. The most frequently abused substances by impaired physicians were alcohol (70%), meperidine hydrochloride (26%), diazepam (17%), amphetamines (10%), cocaine (10%), marijuana (10%), oxycodone hydrochloride (9%), codeine sulfate (7%), fentanyl citrate (7%), pentazocine (7%), propoxyphene (5%) and morphine sulfate (4%) -- abuse of multiple drugs makes the total more than 100%. Dentists show a greater preference for meperidine hydrochloride, diazepam and oxycodone hydrochloride than physicians. Pharmacists use more diazepam, amphetamines, cocaine, codeine sulfate and oxycodone hydrochloride than physicians. Nurses tend to be big abusers of meperidine hydrochloride (44%), diazepam (19%), cocaine (14%), marijuana (17%), codeine sulfate (11%), fentanyl citrate (12%) and morphine sulfate (15%). Alcohol is still the major drug of choice for 56-71% of impaired health professionals (Gallegos 1988b).
Anesthesiologists appear to be at a higher risk of developing chemical dependence than other specialists. Though less than 4% of all physicians in the United States are anesthesiologists, 11.9% of the 1,225 impaired physicians seen by the Medical Association of Georgia Impaired Physician Program from 1975 to 1987 were anesthesiologists. About 85% of resident anesthesiologists undergoing drug treatment reported that drug access was one of the main reasons for ...