Primary care physicians face significant gaps in caring for adopted adults with limited family medical history

(Press-News.org) Background and Goal: Adopted individuals often have limited access to their family medical history, complicating  their health care. This study explored the approaches of primary care physicians when caring for adult adopted patients with limited family medical history.

Study Approach: Researchers conducted in-depth interviews, including hypothetical clinical scenarios,  with 23 primary care physicians from Rhode Island and Minnesota to understand their experiences, practices, knowledge, and training gaps when addressing limited family medical history and adoption-related issues.

Main Results: 

Primary care physicians report knowledge gaps and receive little training or resources on adult adoptees with limited family medical history. As a result, they seek guidance around appropriate preventative screening and genetic testing.

Mental illness and trauma are under-recognized and under-addressed.  

Primary care physicians often obtain family medical history imprecisely, risking miscommunication, microaggressions, and damage to the patient-physician relationship.

Why It Matters: The findings of this study highlight the significant gaps in knowledge and training for primary care physicians caring for adult adopted patients with limited family medical history. Addressing these gaps may improve the quality of care and strengthen physician-patient relationships. 

A Qualitative Study of Primary Care Physicians' Approaches to Caring for Adult Adopted Patients

Jade H. Wexler, BA, et al

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

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