Antibiotics for coughing in general practice: a questionnaire study to quantify and condense the reasons for prescribing.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Antibiotics are being overprescribed in ambulant care, especially for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Gaining insight into the actual reasons for prescribing remains important for the design of effective strategies to optimise antibiotic prescribing. We aimed to determine items of importance for the antibiotic prescribing decision and to make them operational for an intervention trial. METHODS:A postal questionnaire based upon focus group findings was sent to 316 Flemish general practitioners (GPs). On a verbal rating scale the GPs scored to what extent they consider the questionnaire items in decision making in case of suspected RTI in a coughing patient and how strongly the items support or counter antibiotic treatment. Factor analysis was used to condense the data. The r

SUBMITTER: Coenen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC126270 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature