Do Delayed Prescriptions Reduce the Use of Antibiotics for the Common Cold?
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| Title: | Do Delayed Prescriptions Reduce the Use of Antibiotics for the Common Cold? |
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| Authors: | Arroll, B., Kenealy, T., Kerse, N. |
| Source: | Journal of Family Practice. Apr2002, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p324-328. 5p. 1 Diagram, 3 Charts. |
| Subjects: | Medical prescriptions, Antibiotics, Family medicine, Respiratory infections, Common cold |
| Geographic Terms: | Auckland (N.Z.), New Zealand |
| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: To test the use of a delayed prescription compared with instructions to take antibiotics immediately in patients presenting to family physicians with upper respiratory tract infections (common colds). STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled single-blind study. POPULATION: Subjects were 129 patients presenting with the common cold who requested antibiotics or whose physicians thought they wanted them. All patients were in a family practice in Auckland, New Zealand, consisting of 15 physicians (9 male, 6 female) who had completed medical school between 1973 and 1992. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Outcomes were antibiotic use (taking at least 1 dose of the antibiotic), symptom scores, and responses to the satisfaction questions asked at the end of the study. RESULTS: Patients in the delayed-prescription group were less likely to use antibiotics (48%, 95% CI, 35%-60%) than were those instructed to take antibiotics immediately (89%, 95% CI, 76%-94%). Daily body temperature was higher in the immediate-prescription group. The lack of difference in the symptom score between the 2 groups suggests that there is no danger in delaying antibiotic prescriptions for the common cold. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed prescriptions are a safe and effective means of reducing antibiotic consumption in patients with the common cold. Clarification of patient expectations for antibiotics may result in a lower prescription rate. When the patient demands a prescription, delaying its delivery has the potential to provide gentle education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Family Practice is the property of Frontline Medical Communications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 6751278 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Do Delayed Prescriptions Reduce the Use of Antibiotics for the Common Cold? – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arroll%2C+B%2E%22">Arroll, B.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kenealy%2C+T%2E%22">Kenealy, T.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kerse%2C+N%2E%22">Kerse, N.</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Family+Practice%22">Journal of Family Practice</searchLink>. Apr2002, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p324-328. 5p. 1 Diagram, 3 Charts. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+prescriptions%22">Medical prescriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Antibiotics%22">Antibiotics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+medicine%22">Family medicine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Respiratory+infections%22">Respiratory infections</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Common+cold%22">Common cold</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auckland+%28N%2EZ%2E%29%22">Auckland (N.Z.)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+Zealand%22">New Zealand</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: OBJECTIVE: To test the use of a delayed prescription compared with instructions to take antibiotics immediately in patients presenting to family physicians with upper respiratory tract infections (common colds). STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled single-blind study. POPULATION: Subjects were 129 patients presenting with the common cold who requested antibiotics or whose physicians thought they wanted them. All patients were in a family practice in Auckland, New Zealand, consisting of 15 physicians (9 male, 6 female) who had completed medical school between 1973 and 1992. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Outcomes were antibiotic use (taking at least 1 dose of the antibiotic), symptom scores, and responses to the satisfaction questions asked at the end of the study. RESULTS: Patients in the delayed-prescription group were less likely to use antibiotics (48%, 95% CI, 35%-60%) than were those instructed to take antibiotics immediately (89%, 95% CI, 76%-94%). Daily body temperature was higher in the immediate-prescription group. The lack of difference in the symptom score between the 2 groups suggests that there is no danger in delaying antibiotic prescriptions for the common cold. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed prescriptions are a safe and effective means of reducing antibiotic consumption in patients with the common cold. Clarification of patient expectations for antibiotics may result in a lower prescription rate. When the patient demands a prescription, delaying its delivery has the potential to provide gentle education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Family Practice is the property of Frontline Medical Communications and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=6751278 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 5 StartPage: 324 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Medical prescriptions Type: general – SubjectFull: Antibiotics Type: general – SubjectFull: Family medicine Type: general – SubjectFull: Respiratory infections Type: general – SubjectFull: Common cold Type: general – SubjectFull: Auckland (N.Z.) Type: general – SubjectFull: New Zealand Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Do Delayed Prescriptions Reduce the Use of Antibiotics for the Common Cold? Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Arroll, B. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kenealy, T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kerse, N. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2002 Type: published Y: 2002 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00943509 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Family Practice Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
