Retention of primary care physicians in rural health professional shortage areas.

• Autores: Donald E Pathman, Thomas R. Konrad, Rebekkah Dann, Gary Koch
• Localización: American journal of public health, ISSN 0090-0036, Vol. 94, Nº. 10, 2004, págs. 1723-1729
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Objectives: We tested the assumption that average job retention duration is shorter for physicians in rural health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) than for physicians in rural non-HPSAs.; Methods: In 1991, we surveyed nationally representative samples of primary care physicians who recently had moved to rural HPSAs and non-HPSAs who were without service obligations. We resurveyed these physicians in 1996 and 1997 to learn of any job changes.; Results: Physicians in rural HPSAs (n=308) demonstrated retention similar to that of the non-HPSA cohort (n=197) (hazard ratio for leaving=1.28; 95% confidence interval=0.97, 1.69; P=.08), even with adjustments for group demographic differences (P=.24).; Conclusions: Average retention duration for generalist physicians in rural HPSAs is identical to or slightly shorter than for those in rural non-HPSAs. Poor recruitment is likely to be the principal dynamic underlying local rural shortages.;