Inclusion of alcoholism and drug abuse content in curricula of varied health care professions.

Alcoholism and drug abuse are prevalent health problems in the United States. Practitioners in nursing, medicine, and dentistry need to be cognizant of the insidious signs of chemical dependency. A descriptive survey using a researcher-designed questionnaire yielded a sample which consisted of 11 medical schools, 2 dental schools, 25 baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs, and 38 associate degree nursing programs. The survey findings indicated that the curricula for nursing, medicine, and dentistry were inadequate in chemical dependency content. This survey evidenced the need for a stronger educational effort addressing both knowledge of alcoholism/drug abuse and impaired professional practice in the curricula of the health professional programs examined.