Nurses recovering from chemical dependency were compared to nondependent nurses on their reports of sexual abuse, negative outcomes of sexual experiences, and homosexuality. A national sample of nurses responded to a mailed questionnaire examining demographic, educational, and professional variables related to chemical dependency. Differences were found between dependent and nondependent subjects regarding gender, family history of alcoholism, sexual trauma, and sexual functioning. This exploratory study raises many questions for future investigative efforts.
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