Abstract

WEPE681 - Poster Exhibition

The state of HIV in primary care: a fractured landscape

N. Welch, A. Johnson, B. Hujdich, J. Salazar

HealthHIV, Washington, United States

Background: Primary care providers (PCPs) are increasingly being called upon to treat patients living with HIV. They are increasingly seeing, treating, and managing HIV as a chronic disease. Therefore, primary care providers are critical links to continuity of care and keeping patients in care.
Methods: HealthHIV's 2^nd Annual State of HIV in Primary Care survey was implemented to identify trends in the provision of HIV care among PCPs and HIV Specialists. The national survey was conducted online with respondents recruited through targeted invitations between July and October 2011. HealthHIV and Medscape fielded the 45-question instrument in Survey Monkey?. Qualitative analysis was conducted in order to code and develop themes of participants' views of the current state of HIV in Primary Care.
Results: The survey obtained 1,806 US-based respondents to the survey. The survey asked participants their views on the current state of HIV in primary care. HIV Specialists by far described the current state of HIV in primary care as “excellent” and "good" overall. HIV PCPs stated that that although the state of HIV primary care is getting better, the current state is overall challenged by many factors including level of funding, barriers to access, and fragmentation across the health care system. Responses from primary care providers that do not provide HIV care were contradictory suggesting a chaotic and perplexing view of the state of HIV primary care.
Conclusions: Providers cited facts and other details demonstrating their current involvement and complex understanding of the political and environmental factors affecting the HIV primary care landscape. Others shared little or no additional information possibly demonstrating a lack of information or knowledge. This demonstrates a need to close the gap among HIV care providers to provide a united healthcare front against HIV/AIDS.
Download the e-Poster