J Korean Med Assoc.  2013 Sep;56(9):778-783. 10.5124/jkma.2013.56.9.778.

Treating and preventing relapse of drug abuse by healthcare providers

• Moon YE

• KMID: 2015674
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2013.56.9.778

Abstract

Drug abuse by healthcare providers is a serious public problem affecting not only the providers themselves but also their families, colleagues, and patients. It is not a new problem, but the medical community has historically been unwilling to accept and publicly acknowledge the problem, particularly a problem of its own members. Therefore, drug abuse by healthcare providers has either gone unnoticed or has been treated punitively, which has led to high prevalence and mortality. In South Korea, drug-abusing healthcare providers are considered criminals rather than patients. However, many studies have reported that punitive action alone is ineffective. This article describes the treatment principles, prognosis, and possibilities of returning to practice for drug-abusing healthcare providers. Early detection of drug abuse is key to subsequent treatment and prognosis. Furthermore, why relapse prevention as well as treatment is significant and which factors intensify the risk of relapse will be discussed. The use of opioids, coexisting psychiatric illness, and a family history of drug abuse are statistically significant factors. Finally, continuous and close monitoring is effective for relapse prevention, so it is considered another kind of therapy. An organized system for treating drug abuse is currently lacking in South Korea, not only for the general population but also for healthcare providers. In the future, a systematic approach and management by the medical community is necessary to resolve drug abuse by healthcare providers.

Keyword

Substance-related disorders; Healthcare personnel; Relapse prevention; Therapeutics

MeSH Terms

Analgesics, Opioid
Criminals
Delivery of Health Care
Health Personnel
Humans
Prevalence
Prognosis
Recurrence
Republic of Korea
Substance-Related Disorders
Analgesics, Opioid

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