Citation

Leeman CP, Cohen MA, Parkas V. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2001; 23(6): 333-336.

Affiliation

SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA. cpl@cpleeman.net

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11738464

Abstract

Denial of alcohol or drug abuse, and of its possible consequences, can complicate medical and psychiatric care. We present the case of an HIV-positive bus driver with substance abuse who initially denied ongoing use of alcohol and of other drugs, but later admitted to both. The psychiatrist's duty to protect the patient's confidentiality, coupled with concerns about public safety, created an ethical dilemma. In discussing this dilemma we stress the importance of preserving confidentiality, both to facilitate treatment and also to further the safety of others.

Language: en