OBJECTIVES: Unplanned pregnancy is a public health problem in the United States, including in rural areas. Primary care physicians are the main providers of health care to women in rural areas and are uniquely positioned to help reduce unplanned pregnancy in rural women. This study documents provision of contraception by rural primary care physicians, focusing on the most effective, long acting methods, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants. METHODS: We surveyed all primary care physicians practicing in rural areas of Illinois and Wisconsin. Bivariate analysis was performed using chi squared and Fisher's exact test, and multivariable analysis was performed with logistic regression to determine factors associated with provision. RESULTS: The response rate was 862 out of 2312 physicians (37%). Nine percent of respondents place implants and 35% place IUDs. Eighty-seven percent of physicians had not had training in implant placement, and 41% had not had training in IUD placement. In multivariable analysis, factors associated with placement of long acting contraception include provision of maternity care, and female gender of the physician. The most common reasons for not providing the methods were lack of training and perceived low demand from patients. CONCLUSIONS: Many rural primary care providers do not place long acting contraceptive devices due to lack of training. Female physicians and those providing maternity care are the most likely to place these devices. Increased training for primary care physicians both during and after residency would help increase access to these options for women in rural areas.

CONTEXT: Small towns across the United States struggle to maintain an adequate primary care workforce. PURPOSE: To examine factors contributing to physician satisfaction and retention in largely rural areas in Massachusetts, a state with rural pockets and small towns. METHODS: A survey mailed in 2004-2005 to primary care physicians, practicing in areas designated by the state as rural, queried respondents about personal and practice characteristics as well as workforce concerns. Predictors of satisfaction and likelihood of remaining in current or rural practice somewhere were assessed. FINDINGS: Of 227 eligible physicians, 160 returned their surveys (response rate, 70.5%). Approximately one third (34.0%) reported they had grown up in communities of 100,000 or larger. Factors associated with higher overall practice satisfaction included not feeling overworked (P = .043) or professionally isolated (P = .004), and being involved in their practice (P = .045) and home communities (P = .036) as well as ease of seeking additional physicians for practice and obtaining CME credits (P = .014 and P = .017, respectively). Female physicians were more likely to report an intention to remain in rural practice somewhere for the next decade (P = .034). In rating their satisfaction with various aspects of the rural practice environment, physicians reported greatest satisfaction with their practice overall (67%) and their call group size (66%). They were least satisfied with their current (30%) and likely future income (40%). In multivariate analyses, larger practice community size was positively related to the dependent variable of overall satisfaction and negatively related to likelihood of staying in current practice or in rural practice somewhere. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reaffirm the importance of rural medical education opportunities in physician recruitment, retention, and practice satisfaction. They also indicate that in a small New England state, a major source of physicians for rural and small town communities is physicians who have been raised in urban/suburban communities and who were trained outside of the region but who were prepared to live and to practice in rural and small town communities.