TITLE:
Primary Care Physicians’ Difficulty in Managing Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder: A Review Article
AUTHORS:
Tomoki Tanie, Kotaro Kanda, Hirotoshi Fujikawa
KEYWORDS:
Alcohol Use Disorder, Mental Disorder, Prejudice, Stigma, Primary Care Physician
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.15 No.5,
September
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: In Japan, primary care physicians are frequently presented with alcohol use disorder (AUD) co-occurring with other psychiatric disorders. However, despite the high occurrence of AUD, few primary care physicians are confident enough to deal with it. This is because AUD is a distinct mental disorder, and primary care physicians tend to be inexperienced in dealing with mental disorders. There may also be an underlying educational gap and prejudice against AUD. Additionally, alcoholism often coexists with a variety of medical conditions, such as electrolyte abnormalities and rhabdomyolysis. Therefore, it is important for primary care physicians to apply their knowledge of internal medicine and strengthen their collaboration with psychiatrists as much as possible to effectively manage AUD among patients.