Te. Hansen et al., CHANGES IN QUESTIONS ABOUT PSYCHIATRIC-ILLNESS ASKED ON MEDICAL LICENSURE APPLICATIONS BETWEEN 1993 AND 1996, Psychiatric services, 49(2), 1998, pp. 202-206
Objective: This study examined the nature of questions about previous
mental illness, physical illness, and substance abuse asked on applica
tions for state medical licensure, partly to determine if questions fo
cused more appropriately on any current, rather than past, disability.
Methods: In 1993 and 1996 the 66 members of the Federation of State M
edical Boards of the United States, Inc., were asked to provide copies
of the forms they used for medical licensure applications and renewal
. The forms were reviewed to determine the presence of questions about
previous mental illness, physical illness, and substance abuse and wh
ether the questions specifically addressed the effects of the conditio
n on the ability to practice medicine. Results: On initial licensure a
pplications, medical boards commonly asked questions about mental illn
ess. Seventy-five percent of responding boards did so in 1993, and 80
percent did so in 1996. The proportion of boards that inquired about w
hether the mental illness might affect the applicant's ability to prac
tice medicine increased from 42 percent in 1993 to 75 percent in 1996.
Applicants were asked about substance abuse by 83 percent of the boar
ds in 1993 and by 94 percent in 1996. Boards asked about physical cond
itions less often than mental conditions but were more likely to ask a
bout physical conditions in 1996 (65 percent) than in 1993 (49 percent
). Questions about physical illness almost always addressed the effect
of the condition on medical practice. On license renewal requests, me
dical boards were less likely to ask questions about mental conditions
, substance abuse, and physical illnesses than on the original applica
tions. Among boards that asked about mental illness on renewal forms,
the proportion of boards that asked about the effect of mental conditi
ons on ability to practice medicine increased from 60 percent in 1993
to 90 percent in 1996. Conclusions: Medical boards commonly ask questi
ons about mental illness on licensure application and renewal forms. I
n many states, such questions changed between 1993 and 1996 to emphasi
ze impairment resulting from mental illness and to use similar wording
for mental disorders and physical conditions.