Aids education practices among Massachusetts physicians

Physicians have a major role to play in the prevention of AIDS transmission. Promotion of health behaviors needs to be expanded beyond the traditional AIDS high risk populations; however, little information is available on the AIDS education practices of physicians. A survey of Massachusetts physicians in four specialty groups, Family Medicine Practitioners, Internists, Obstetricians/Gynecologists and Pediatricians, was conducted to determine the extent of their AIDS education practices. Three hundred and ninety one physicians returned the questionnaire for an overall response rate of 66%. Sixty three percent (63%) of the physicians surveyed educate patients they believe to be at least at moderate risk for AIDS transmission or exposure. However, neither physicians screening for patients' AIDS risk status nor the content of the AIDS education was uniform. Also, very few physicians have received specific training in AIDS education. A number of practice, patient, and physician characteristics were found to be related to educational practices. This study suggests that a more comprehensive screening of patients' participation in AIDS risk behaviors be conducted as part of medical history taking, and that more comprehensive education be provided to those patients determined to be at least at moderate risk for AIDS transmission or exposure.Ruth A. Carretta, M.P.H. is an Analyst with the Outside Health Resource Utilization Program, Harvard Community Health Plan, Boston, Mass. 02215; Thomas W. Mangione, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118 and Senior Research Fellow, Center for Survey Research, University of Massachusetts — Boston, Boston, MA 02116; Presley F. Marson, M.D., M.P.H. is a student at the Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118; S.S. Darmono, M.D., M.P.H. is a student at the Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118. Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Thomas W. Mangione, Ph.D., Center for Survey Research, University of Massachusetts — Boston, 100 Arlington St. — Suite 210, Boston, MA 02116.This study was conducted as part of a course offered by the Boston University School of Public Health. This research was also supported in part from funds from the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts — Boston.We would like to acknowledge the contributions of Patricia M. Demers, R.N., M.S., M.P.H., Efstratios Demetriou, M.D., Elizabeth A. Harvey, Ph.D., Suzanne Moore, M.P.H., R.N.C., Ph.D. candidate, and Nancy Salitsky, R.N., M.P.H. for their assistance in the design of the questionnaire, data collection, input into the analysis, and editorial advice; Kathleen Butterfield, Jean F. Saint-Elme, M.D., M.P.H., and Anneke Suparwati, M.P.H. for their assistance in design of the questionnaire and data collection; and Carmen Arroyo for creating the data entry program and providing the data analysis runs.