246305 Are primary care physicians missing opportunities for primary prevention?

Monday, October 31, 2011: 9:24 AM

Harrison T. Ndetan, BSc, MSc, MPH, DrPH , Research Institute, Parker College of Chiropractic, Dallas, TX
Marion Willard Evans, DC, PhD, CHES , Director of Research, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX
John Licciardone, DO, MS, MBA , Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
Cathleen Kearns, BA , Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
Clark Walker, BS, MPH , Biostatistics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX
Background Healthy people initiatives have called for more preventive services and health promotion. The purpose of the study was to assess self-reported levels of engagement in general health education (HEd) services among the medical (MD) and osteopathic (DO) primary care providers. Methods Multiple logistic regression was applied to the 2005-2007 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data to assess the provision of HEd counseling by MDs and DOs with patient, visit, and practice characteristics. The complete multistage probability design structure was applied to generate national population estimates of patient visit encounters where HEd services were provided Results About 286 million patient visits were made to both provider groups during 2005-2007 with 7.5% to DOs and 92.5% to MDs. HEd was provided on 103.8 million (37.1%) visits. Fewer services were rendered as patient s aged but did not differ by gender. More HEd was offered to blacks than whites [OR 1.4, 95%CI(1.02, 1.27)] as were “other” races [OR=1.36, 95%CI(1.12,1.64)]. Providers were more likely to advise patients they diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, or obesity but not based on computed blood pressure levels or body mass index. Self-paying patients were more likely to receive advice but general advice levels did not differ by provider group. Level of HEd increased with the involvement of nurses in patient care. Conclusion No significant difference in HEd engagement could be identified between MDs and Dos. Despite health care initiatives for primary prevention opportunities are still being missed by primary care physicians.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1. Assess self-reported levels of engagement in general health education (HEd) services among the medical (MD) and osteopathic (DO) primary care providers.

Keywords: Health Education, Primary Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an assistant Professor/Biostatistician, a public health researcher, an an APHA member. I have conducted, presented and published previous works on topics related to this one.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.