Scope of Practice Intentions Among Family Medicine Residents for Integrated Care of HIV and Hepatitis C Infection in People With Opioid Use Disorder.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Because deaths from opioid overdoses have increased in the United States, family physicians are needed who can provide integrated care for a patient with HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid use disorder. We sought to describe the individual and residency characteristics of graduating family medicine residents who intend to practice such integrated care.

Methods: We used 2017-2021 data from the American Board of Family Medicine Initial Certification Questionnaire. Our primary outcomes were individual and residency characteristics of resident graduates who intended to provide integrated care. We used logistic regression to assess independent associations with providing integrated care.

Results: The response rate was 100% with 18,479 total respondents. After exclusions, our final sample size was 10,660 (57.7%) respondents. Of those, 782 (7.3%) respondents intended to practice integrated care. Using regression analyses, we found that resident graduates who intended to provide integrated care were more likely to be male, non-Hispanic or Latinx. After residency, they were more likely to intend to practice at a federally qualified health center, Indian Health Service, or nonfederal government clinic.

Conclusions: Only 7% of residency graduates reported their intention to provide integrated care for people with opioid use disorder after residency. In response to a surging opioid crisis, policymakers, residency educators, and residency funders/sponsors should increase the workforce of family physicians who can provide this integrated care.