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14th Annual Conference of the British HIV Association23-25 April 2008, Belfast |
UNDERSTANDING THE BARRIERS TO GP INVOLVEMENT IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH HIV - THE GP PERSPECTIVE: A QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED STUDY
HIV Med 2008; 9(Suppl. 1):10 (abstract no. P2)
H Defty1, A Cressey2, H Smith1, Y Gilleece2, N Perry2 and M Fisher2
1 Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), Brighton, UK, 2 Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK
BACKGROUND: Patients with HIV have typically received the majority of health care in secondary care. Policy recommendations, such as Standards for HIV Care (BHIVA, 2007), encourage increased General Practitioner (GP) involvement. Research suggests that GPs perceive significant barriers to managing patients with HIV but has been pre- HAART. It is important, therefore, to re-investigate GPs' views in the post-HAART era.
AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate GPs' perceptions of barriers to their involvement in managing HIV patients.
METHODS: Following piloting, a postal questionnaire of all GPs in the local PCT. Measures included: perceived barriers to caring for patients with HIV, number of HIV patients, HIV education and interest in increased involvement.
RESULTS: Response rate was 71% (124/174). 88% (109) of respondents had treated >10 patients and 61% (76) had attended a specific HIV training course. Most common barriers included inadequate knowledge of anti-HIV medications (79%), side-effects (72%) and interactions (46%). Cost (54%) and inadequacies in training (43%), knowledge (36%), experience (44%) and communication with secondary care (34%) were also identified. A third of GPs were interested in taking on more HIV care in the future but always excluding antiretroviral therapy.
CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION: GPs still perceive significant barriers to their involvement in the management of patients with HIV. As patients with HIV age and experience co-morbidities, to increase GP involvement it may be best to involve specific interested GPs predominantly and to introduce effective interventions, such as specific training-updates.
*Data from Abstracts O6 and P2 merged into one oral presentation and no poster will be displayed at the conference.
2008-04-23
P2
Copyright © 2008 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD