The STI and HIV testing practices of primary care providers.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV testing practices of primary care providers (PCPs) practicing in predominantly Hispanic communities.


METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study. PCPs were identified by matching ZIP codes of physician directories with ZIP codes of Los Angeles County areas that have a population that is > 50% Hispanic (N = 191). PCPs were mailed a survey that assessed their frequencies for asking patients about sexual history, offering STI and safe sex advice, total number of HIV tests ordered in the past six months and their perceived barriers to STI counseling. The survey response rate was 45% (N = 85).


RESULTS
Although 73% of PCPs took sexual histories from patients regularly (daily-to-weekly), only 41% offered STI or safe sex advice regularly. PCPs who were white were less likely than those who were Hispanic/Asian/African American/other to take sexual histories from their patients regularly (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9). The total number of HIV tests ordered for patients by PCPs at their practice locations in the past six months were: none (6%), 1-10 tests (27%), 11-20 tests (24%) and > 20 tests (36%). Thirty-six percent of PCPs reported > or = 1 positive HIV test in the past six months. PCPs' perceived barriers to STI counseling included patient's young age (< 16 years), language and presence of patient's relative/partner in consultation room at time of visit.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest a need for interventions with PCPs practicing in predominantly Hispanic communities to improve their STI and HIV practice patterns.
Kushner
Mitchell
M
UCLA School of Public Health, University of California, USA.
Solorio
M Rosa
MR
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American; D001213:Asian; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology