Haley C, Scarpinato L, Papacena E; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1991 Jun 16-21; 7: 423 (abstract no. M.D.4135).
Kansas City Free Health Clinic, Kansas City, MO, USA
OBJECTIVE: To increase the number of physicians in private practice willing to care for HIV-infected patients community by means of an interactive tutorial method that increases knowledge, attitudes and comfortableness towards HIV disease. METHOD: Six physicians in private practice from the Kansas City area participated in the program. None had prior practical experience in caring for HIV patients. During the tutorial component of the program these inexperienced physicians (IP) were paired with experienced physicians (EP) that had considerable experience in treating HIV disease. The tutorial experience occurred once weekly over a six week period during evening HIV clinics at an indigent care facility that also acts as an anonymous test site for HIV. A large HIV patient population at this facility included a broad range of socioeconomic, ethnic and risk-factor categories. Patients were in various stages of HIV infection, from early to moderate disease process (through CDC Stage III). A variety of didactic educational materials derived from outside sources was used to supplement the tutorial clinical experience. Both IP and EP were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Respondents were asked about their HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and comfortableness in treating. RESULT: Interviews identified an increase in knowledge concerning serial markers of disease, prophylaxis and treatment of opportunistic infections, and monitoring of adverse drug reactions as measured by self-evaluation. All respondents identified a perceived lack of physicians willing to treat HIV patients. Participants reported a reduction in bias (related to HIV patients) and an increase in level of comfort regarding treating HIV patients in their private practices. As a result, private practice physicians either increased the number of HIV patients or were more willing to treat HIV patients. CONCLUSION: A program for educating general practice physicians about HIV disease that provides a convenient tutorial component can increase the pool of physicians able, willing and confident in treating HIV-infected patients. Given the expanding scope of the HIV epidemic to include less populated areas it is essential for physicians not affiliated with large teaching centers and in private practice to treat HIV disease at least through the earlier stages of infection. Since completion of this pilot study, federal government funds have been secured to expand and further evaluate this tutorial approach to physician education in HIV disease.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Anonymous Testing
- Counseling
- Data Collection
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Humans
- Kansas
- Knowledge
- Physicians
- Pilot Projects
- Private Practice
- Questionnaires
- Risk Factors
- education
Other ID:
UI: 102183891
From Meeting Abstracts