United States - A survey from the University of Washington revealed approximately 15 percent of surgeons have an alcohol abuse or dependency problem, but those numbers may be higher.
The survey, which was sent out to more than 25,000 surgeons but answered by only 722, showed a correlation between alcohol problems and major medical errors.
The fact only about 29 percent of the surveys were returned concerns Dr. Edward Livingston, a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center who was unrelated with the study.
"If you have a low response rate, you don't know if it represents the universe of people you're trying to study because I think the folks who are less likely to respond may have shame and guilt and fear associated with their alcohol abuse and dependence that they don't want to report on the survey," he said.
The study didn't say why alcoholism is more prevalent than the general population, which is estimated at about nine percent, but some factors may be work, lifestyle, mood-related.
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