Drug users' views on general practitioners
BMJ 1995; 310 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.310.6975.302 (Published 04 February 1995) Cite this as: BMJ 1995;310:302
- Charles Hindler, research fellowa,
- Irwin Nazareth, lecturerb,
- Michael King, readera,
- John Cohen, senior lecturerb,
- Roger Farmer, senior lecturer in psychiatryc,
- Clare Gerada, general practitionerd
- a Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG
- b Department of Primary Care, University College London Medical School, Whittington Hospital, London N19 5NF
- c St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0RE
- d Hurley Clinic, London SE11 4HJ
- Correspondence to: Dr Hindler.
- Accepted 1 November 1994
General practice is a key resource in the treatment of drug misuse.1 The relationship between drug users and general practitioners is unsatisfactory, and a change in attitude is needed to encourage drug users to seek treatment in primary care.2 One study found that most drug users preferred their general practitioner to prescribe maintenance drugs for them, although general practitioners' negative attitudes and lack of interest in drug users' problems were common complaints.3 In a later study drug users perceived general practitioners to be accessible but unsympathetic and lacking in knowledge.4 We report drug users' views on primary health care. This study formed part of a larger survey of the primary medical care received by drug users.
Subjects, methods, and results
One of us (CH) interviewed drug users attending a private drug clinic, a community drug team, a drug dependency …