title: [Professional background and experience of antiretroviral prescribing physicians in the State of São Paulo].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of the professional profile of physicians who prescribe antiretroviral drugs (ARV) to HIV infected persons in the State of São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Databases from different sources, namely Ministry of Health, São Paulo State Regional Medical Council, National Commission on Medical Residency and the Lattes platform, were consulted. Data concerning socio-demographic characteristics, academic and professional background and experience for the period from October 2007 to May 2009 were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The regular ARV prescription for 74 thousand patients was issued by 1,609 physicians whose characteristics are: evenly distributed according to gender, aged between 30 to 49 years, live in the metropolitan area of Greater São Paulo, graduated 16.1 years ago on the average, come from 93 different Brazilian medical schools, hold a specialty diploma in 67.5% of cases, most of them in the field of Infectious Diseases (38.9%). The mean number of patients per physician was 10, though 51.6% of physicians prescribed for 20 or more patients. Of these physicians 62% reported specific knowledge or experience with HIV care, although 2.7% of all prescriptions were issued by physicians without this specific qualification. Regions of high AIDS incidence showed a smaller number of prescribing physicians. The cities of Registro and Ribeirão Preto showed the highest concentration of physicians lacking proper credentials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absolute majority of HIV patients receives their prescriptions from duly trained and experienced physicians. Nevertheless, the large number of non-qualified physicians together with the reduced number of physicians in HIV high incidence regions make up the major challenge for comprehensive and adequate care of HIV patients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. mscheffer@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Mario Cesar
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Scheffer
authors.forename: Maria Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Escuder
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grangeiro
authors.forename: Euclides Ayres de
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Castilho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D055552:Infectious Disease Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013038:Specialization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents