Use of Health Care Services by Pediatrics Residents: A CORNET Study

The personal health practices of residents and their access to health care has not been well explored. Suboptimal personal health care habits and practices among many physicians may evolve during residency.

To identify the nature and extent of pediatrics resident health care use and the factors that restrict or facilitate use.

A web-based survey was sent to pediatrics residents from 19 continuity practice sites enrolled in the nationwide Continuity Research Network (CORNET) during April through June 2010. Outcome measures included self-report of health care use, involvement in an established care relationship with a primary care provider, and barriers residents encountered in receiving care.

Of 1210 eligible residents, 766 (63%) completed the survey. Respondents were 73% women; each postgraduate training year was equally represented. More than one-half of residents (54%) stated they had an established care relationship (ECR) with a primary care provider. Interns were less likely to have an ECR when compared with upper level residents; female residents were twice as likely to have an ECR compared with male residents. Although 22% (172 of 766) of the respondents reported they had a chronic health condition, only 69% (118 of 172) of those individuals had an established care provider. The most significant barrier to obtaining health care was resident concern for time away from work and the potential increased workload for colleagues.

A slight majority of pediatrics residents stated they had an established relationship with a primary care provider. The most common barriers to seeking routine and acute care were work related.