ATTITUDES OF COLOMBIAN NURSES TOWARDS ALCOHOL, ALCOHOLISM AND INDIVIDUALS WITH ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS

Abstract

Objective: To identify the attitudes of Colombian nurses towards alcohol, alcoholism and alcoholics, verifying their relationship with variables of interest in the study.Method: Cross-sectional study whose data was collected in 2014 and 2015, through the use of the Scale of Attitudes towards Alcohol, Alcoholism and Alcoholics, Spanish version. The sample consisted of 303 nurses from health institutions of Bogotá, Colombia.Results: Negative attitudes regarding interpersonal relationships with alcohol users in health care units and the etiology of alcoholism were observed in 56.8% of the participants. The associated factors were age, time elapsed since completion of the undergraduate nursing course, and frequency of care provided to individuals with alcohol use disorders.Conclusions: The nursing professionals had ambivalent attitudes towards the phenomenon. Replication of this study in Latin American countries is suggested, in order to map the current status of this phenomenon in the South American hemisphere.

Keywords

• Nursing
• Knowledge
• Attitudes of health personnel
• Alcoholic beverages
• Alcoholism