Primary Care Providers' Experiences With Trauma Patients: A Qualitative Study

The goal of this study was to increase knowledge about provider perspectives on provision of health care to trauma patients in primary care settings for underserved clients and to inform the development of effective interventions for patients and providers. Thirty-one primary care providers (PCPs) working with low-income primary care patients participated in focus group interviews exploring attitudes and strategies for working with trauma and mental health patients. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative coding process. PCPs described frequent contact with trauma and mental health patients. They sometimes developed appropriate short-term management strategies, and many were aware of indications that their patients had experienced trauma. However. they felt unprepared to deal with these issues. Lack of formal training plus strong emotional reactions to some trauma patients may undermine PCP effectiveness and contribute to job stress. Additional training and appropriate treatment models could allow these dedicated providers to increase their effectiveness and job satisfaction.