Describing Hawai'i's nursing home physicians: the results of a survey

Despite a growing need for physicians providing care to nursing home patients, the characteristics of physicians providing such care are not well described.

A survey was sent to adult primary care physicians in Hawai'i; respondents' demographic data were obtained. Associations between physician characteristics, level of nursing home experience, and island of practice were analyzed using chi square and multivariate logistic regression models.

Of 806 physicians, 388 (48%) returned surveys. Controlling for years of experience and other demographic factors, having nursing home experience was associated with physician age (40 years and over compared with under 40 years; OR 3.5, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.4-8.5), Family Medicine specialty (compared with Internal Medicine, General Practice or Other; OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.4-11.4), private practice type (compared with employed, other, and trainee physicians; OR 2.3, 95% CI 1. 1-4.6), and practice location (neighbor islands compared with Oahu, OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.1-17.8). Physicians practicing on the neighbor islands were more likely to be aged 40 years and older (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.4-10.3), and white (ethnicity compared with all other ethnicities, OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.1-7.7).

The association of higher physician age with both nursing home experience and neighbor island practice has important implications for the training of physicians to provide nursing home care in Hawai'i.