title: The geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas: characteristics, challenges, and policy implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study provides a current analysis of the size and characteristics of the board-certified geriatrician and geriatric psychiatrist workforce in Texas, and thereby its capacity to meet increasing health needs of elders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary data on Texas board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists from American Board of Medical Specialties database were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found 1 geriatrician per 5,132 elders, and 1 geriatric psychiatrist per 21,327 elders, in Texas. Over 62% of geriatricians had active certification, 30% were females and the average age was 55.2 years. Rural geriatricians were disproportionately scarce (p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicated a serious shortage of board-certified geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists in Texas. This shortage is worse than that at the national level, and more marked along the Texas-Mexico border and counties lacking large health facilities. Addressing this workforce deficiency requires improvements in the geriatric training pipeline, reimbursements, and practice environments.
authors.affiliation: Texas A & M Health Science Center, College Station, TX 77843-1266, USA. Sumaya@srph.tamhsc.edu
authors.forename: Ciro V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Sumaya
authors.forename: Chidiebere M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Opara
authors.forename: David V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Espino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002568:Certification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D005853:Geriatrics; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D008875:Middle Aged; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D013781:Texas; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: board-certified geriatric psychiatrists; board-certified geriatricians; geriatric psychiatrist-to-elderly population ratio; geriatrician-to-elderly population ratio; increased chronic disease burden among the elderly