Amaç: Bu çalışmada alkol kullanım bozukluğu (AKB) olan hastaların bağımlılık tedavisindeki tercihleri ve takiplerinin hekimlerce bildirildiği şekliyle ortaya konması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışmada 200 psikiyatri uzmanı, 200 aile hekimi ve 62 iç hastalıkları uzmanı ile yapılandırılmış görüşme anketi kullanılarak yüz yüze görüşme yapılmış ve gördükleri AKB hastalarının ilk başvuru, takip olanağı, tedavi tercihleri, tedaviyi kabul etmeme sebepleri, sevk etme tercihleri incelenmiştir. Sonuç: Çalışmaya katılan 462 hekimden iç hastalıkları uzmanları ayda 3, aile hekimleri 1 ve spesifik alkol-madde servisi olmayan ünitede çalışan psikiyatri uzmanları ayda 8 AKB hastası gördüklerini belirtmişlerdir. Hekimler hastaların %14’ünün tedaviyi kabul etmediğini, %15’inin yatarak tedavi görürken %71’inin ayaktan tedavi edildiğini bildirmiştir. Tedaviyi kabul etmeme sebepleri arasında hekimler ilk sırada “hastalığı kabullenmeme” ikinci sırada “hastaneye yatma korkusu” olduğunu öne sürmüştür. AKB bulunan hastalarda tedavisiz geçen sürenin uzun olduğu ve bir grup hastanın hastaneye yatma korkusu sebebiyle tedaviden uzak kaldığı görülmektedir. Yeni ve esnek tedavi seçenekleri ile daha fazla sayıda hastanın tedavi olmaya ikna edilebileceği düşünülebilir.

Objective: The aim of this study is to present addiction therapy preference and follow-up results for patients with alcohol-use disorder (AUD) as reported by physicians. Method: In this study, data were collected from 200 Psychiatrists, 200 Family Physicians and 62 Internists by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire and information on the AUD patients they encounter including first admission, follow-up conditions, treatment preferences, reasons for refusing treatment, and reasons for referral as well as sociodemographic characteristics of the physicians. Data from the physicians who reported to have AUD patients were analyzed. The data were assessed in frequency and rate and p value for statistical significance was 0.05. Results: Among the 462 physicians who participated in the study, the number of AUD patients seen monthly by the Internists, Family Physicians and Psychiatrists working in centers without a specific alcohol-substance therapy clinic were reported as 3, 1, and 8 respectively. At the AMATEMs (Alcohol and Substance Addiction Treatment Centers) monthly AUD admission was reported to be approximately 151 patients, followed by centers incorporating a specific addiction clinic or outpatient clinic (approximately 48 AUD patients per month). The AMATEMs and centers with specific addiction clinics had significantly higher number of AUD patients compared to other centers. 245 physicians who reported to see AUD patients stated that 66% were follow-up and 34% were first admission patients. It was reported that 14% of the patients refused treatment while 15% had inpatient treatmen and 71% had outpatient treatment. The first most common reason for refusing therapy was “denial of disease” and the second was “fear of hospitalization” (19% and 15%, respectively) according to the physicians. The therapy discontinuation rate reported by the physicians was 25% with the most common reasons for discontinuation being “fear of medications” followed by “fear of hospitalization”. A total of 119 physicians have referred their AUD patients 23% of which refused therapy and 48% accepted therapy in outpatient setting. Among the physicians who referred their patients 57% were not able to get further information about those patients. Among the patients who were referred, common reasons for refusing therapy were suggested to be “denial of disease” and “high level of addiction” (38% and 21%, respectively). According to the physicians, the first contact for medical help occurs in AUD patients approximately 5.8 years after onset of complaints. Conclusion: Alcohol use disorders are a common health issue worldwide and are among the psychiatric disorders with the greatest treatment gap. Although AUD rates in Turkey are lower than other countries, time to treatment is relatively long and a group of patients refrain from therapy due to the fear of hospitalization. Thus, more patients may be convinced for therapy with new and more flexible therapy options.