Antibiotic prescribing for adults with colds, upper respiratory tract infections, and bronchitis by ambulatory care physicians
Article Abstract:
Many physicians are prescribing antibiotics for colds and upper respiratory tract infections even though these drugs are not effective for those conditions. A 1992 survey of 1,529 physicians in private practice found that they wrote 12 million prescriptions for antibiotics for the treatment of colds and upper respiratory tract infections, which accounted for 21% of all adult antibiotic prescriptions that year. Half or more of all patients presenting with colds and upper respiratory infections were prescribed antibiotics. Physicians practicing in rural areas were most likely to prescribe antibiotics for these conditions.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1997
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Antibiotic prescribing for children with colds, upper respiratory tract infections, and bronchitis
Article Abstract:
Many physicians are still prescribing antibiotics for children with colds and upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) even though these conditions are usually caused by viruses. A survey of 531 pediatric office visits in 1992 found that over 40% of the children with colds and URIs received a prescription for antibiotics. Generalizing these results to the entire US population results in 6.5 million antibiotic prescriptions for colds and URIs. Pediatricians were less likely to prescribe antibiotics than non-pediatricians. Inappropriate antibiotic use leads to drug resistance in many bacteria.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1998
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Decreasing Antibiotic Use in Ambulatory Practice: Impact of a Multidimensional Intervention on the Treatment of Uncomplicated Acute Bronchitis in Adults
Article Abstract:
Educational materials given to both patients and doctors can reduce the use of antibiotics. Widespread antibiotic use has been linked to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. In a study of four primary care practices belonging to one HMO, researchers sent educational packets about antibiotics, bronchitis and drug resistance to two practices but not to the other two. In the group that received the educational materials, antibiotic prescriptions as a percentage of all drugs prescribed dropped from 74% to 48%. This did not occur among the doctors who did not receive the materials.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1999
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