A preliminary study of African-American physician involvement in the care of HIV-infected patients

In 1995, questionnaires were sent to the mailing list of the National Medical Association (NMA). The mail responses were supplemented by questionnaires distributed at the NMA annual meeting. Of the 709 respondents, approximately 63% were primary care providers, pediatricians, or obstetrician-gynecologists; 72% were treating from zero to 10 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients while 9% were treating > 90 HIV patients; and 12% had been treating HIV patients > 10 years. The majority of these patients were African American; male-to-male sex and injecting drugs were the two major risk factors. Complexity of HIV care and lack of reimbursement were the principal barriers to providing HIV care. The burden of providing HIV care is borne by a relatively small number of physicians, and African-American physicians are actively involved in this care. Programs are needed to increase the number of African-American providers treating HIV patients and to provide appropriate reimbursement for providing this care.