[Alcohol consumption among primary care doctors].

OBJECTIVE

To find the personal alcohol consumption of primary care (PC) doctors.

DESIGN

Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study.

SETTING

All the PC doctors in our region.

PARTICIPANTS

486 doctors, excluding paediatricians.

MATERIAL

Closed, anonymous and self-administered survey, divided into two sections: a) social and demographic and work variables (7 items); b) Questionnaire on personal alcohol consumption (4 questions).

MEASUREMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Descriptive analysis and simple correlations.

RESULTS

227 valid surveys were obtained (47.7% participation rate). A) Social and demographic and work variables: 67.6% were male, with 63.9% between 36 and 45 years old. 55.3% worked in a mixed health centre, 54.4% with tenure. > 40 patients/day (46.6%) demanded care. 82.1% were married. Two-child family units predominated (44.4%). B) Questionnaire on personal consumption of alcohol: 75.7% of the professionals who answered the questionnaire said they were consumers, with "occasionally" the most common pattern of consumption (32.33%). In 63.3% the starting age was between 16 and 20. Beer was the most common kind of drink. In general, consumption predominated in male professionals (78%). However, excess/risk consumption was proportionally higher in women (27.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

a) Alcohol consumption among the doctors surveyed is similar to that found in the general population. b) Risk consumption is higher among women doctors.