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Physicians' Beliefs about the Nature of Addiction: A Survey of Primary Care Physicians and Psychiatrists
Author(s) -
Lawrence Ryan E.,
Rasinski Kenneth A.,
Yoon John D.,
Curlin Farr A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2012.00332.x
Subject(s) - addiction , primary care , psychiatry , disease , psychology , addiction medicine , medicine , family medicine , pathology
Background and Objectives Society debates whether addiction is a disease, a response to psychological woundedness, or moral failing. Method We surveyed a national sample of 1427 US primary care physicians (PCPs) and 487 psychiatrists, asking “In your judgment, to what extent is alcoholism/drug addiction each of the following? A) a disease B) a response to psychological woundedness C) a result of moral failings.” Results The response rate was 63% for PCPs and 64% for psychiatrists. More psychiatrists than PCPs consider addiction a disease (64% versus 56%). Some PCPs (31%) and psychiatrists (27%) attribute addiction to psychological woundedness. More psychiatrists than PCPs said addiction is “not at all” due to moral failings (55% versus 39%). Conclusions and Scientific Significance The disease model for addiction is prominent among physicians, but exists alongside beliefs that addiction is a response to psychological woundedness, or a result of moral failings. (Am J Addict 2013; 22:255–260)