Changing sources of care for HIV infection in California

A telephone survey was conducted of random samples of primary care physicians in Los Angeles County and in the 26 rural counties of California to assess changes in medical practices that may have occurred with the development of new pharmacological agents and recent changes in the management of infection with the HIV. Seventy-two to seventy-three percent of the physicians selected participated in the survey in both areas. The results indicate a reduction by almost two thirds of the number of primary care physicians who plan to continue to provide care to HIV-infected patients, both in Los Angeles County and the nonmetropolitan counties of California. Although some were no longer caring for HIV patients because of deaths or patient relocation, the overwhelming majority had referred their patients to infectious disease specialists and HIV clinics because of the growing complexity of the management of these patients.