Public beliefs and use of antibiotics for acute respiratory illness.
OBJECTIVE
To better understand public beliefs and use of antibiotics for acute respiratory illnesses.


METHODS
Cross-sectional telephone survey.


METHODS
Three hundred eighty-six adult members (aged 18 years or older) of a group-model HMO in the Denver metropolitan area.


RESULTS
Two hundred seventy-three (70%) of the respondents reported that antibiotics were beneficial for bacterial respiratory illnesses, 211 (55%) reported that antibiotics were beneficial for viral respiratory illnesses, and 82 (21%) reported that antibiotics were beneficial for bacterial but not for viral illness. Multivariate regression analysis identified consulting an advice nurse (odds ratio [OR] 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7, 5.3), ever being told by a provider that antibiotics were not needed for a respiratory illness episode (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2, 3.6), having a chronic medical condition (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.0, 3.9), and believing antibiotics to be helpful for viral (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.3, 4.7) or bacterial (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.2, 6.7) respiratory illnesses to be independently associated with antibiotic use for respiratory illnesses during the previous year. There was a trend toward lower previous antibiotic use among those believing antibiotics to be helpful for bacterial illness but not for viral illness.


CONCLUSIONS
A lack of understanding about antibiotic effectiveness exists in the community. Increased previous antibiotic use among those believing antibiotics to be effective for viral illnesses suggests that improvements are needed in communications to patients and the public about antibiotic appropriateness.
Wilson
A A
AA
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262, USA.
Crane
L A
LA
Barrett
P H
PH
Gonzales
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents