Patterns of primary care of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
To determine the patterns of care of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), data from 2 sources were analyzed. Initial data obtained from the Washington State HIV/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Epidemiology Unit indicate that 46% of patients with class IV AIDS were seen by physicians who reported fewer than 5 patients with AIDS, and 68% of all Washington physicians who reported treating patients with AIDS have reported only 1 patient. Subsequent data obtained from a questionnaire distributed in 4 Northwest states suggest that 74% of primary care internists and 73% of family practitioners have some experience in caring for patients with HIV infection, but most of these physicians report fewer than 6 patients in the past 2 years. Although most providers seeing large numbers of HIV-infected patients in their practices were based in the region's major metropolitan area, 59% of the internists and 55% of the family practitioners surveyed outside of the metropolitan area had seen at least 1 HIV-infected patient in their practices. These results suggest that primary care physicians with relatively little experience treating HIV infection are providing care for a large number of HIV-infected persons. Further study is needed to determine the extent and quality of care provided.
Wenrich
M D
MD
Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
Ramsey
P G
PG
D005194:Family Practice; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care