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Do physicians discuss HIV testing during prenatal care?
G Ogilvie1, S Adsett, G Macdonald
1Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. ogilvieg@fhs.csu.mcmaster.ca
Objective:
To determine the frequency with which Hamilton, Ont, general practitioners and family physicians discussed and offered HIV testing during prenatal care.
Design:
Cross-sectional mailed survey.
Setting:
Family physicians' and general practitioners' offices in Hamilton, including group or solo private practices and community health centres.
Participants:
General practitioners and family physicians in Hamilton identified from the Ontario Medical Association and the 1995 Canadian Medical Directory. Two hundred forty-one practitioners were sent surveys; 25% had moved or no longer practised family medicine, and 65% (140 of 216) were returned.
Main Outcome Measure:
Frequency with which physicians discuss with and offer HIV testing to prenatal patients.
Results:
Eighty percent of clinicians felt they understood their professional role in providing HIV testing, and more than 90% had referred female patients for HIV testing. Eight percent of physicians always discussed HIV when reviewing pregnancy care, and 5% always offered HIV testing to patients in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Conclusions:
Currently, few physicians discuss HIV testing with all their prenatal patients.