Characteristics and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada: prospective descriptive study

OBJECTIVE To describe the characteristics at enrollment and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada. DESIGN Prospective descriptive study. SETTING Provincial physician health programme, Canada. PARTICIPANTS All 100 doctors consecutively admitted to a substance dependence monitoring programme and followed until completion of monitoring or on leaving the programme. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Relapse during long term monitoring for five years. RESULTS Ninety per cent of the doctors enrolled on the programme were men, 66% were married or living with a partner, 44% had had previous treatment for substance dependence, and 36% had had previous psychiatric treatment. Smokers were over-represented compared with the general population of US doctors (38% v 5%). During the monitoring period 71% of participants had no known relapse. An additional 14% went on to complete the programme, after some form of relapse. In total, 85% of the doctors successfully completed the programme. CONCLUSION In this cohort of doctors enrolled on the Ontario Physician Health Program for substance dependence, most were men who were dependent on alcohol or opioids. Smokers were over-represented compared with the general population of US doctors. Eighty five per cent successfully completed the programme.