Antibiotic resistance: a survey of physician perceptions.
BACKGROUND
Antibiotic resistance is caused partly by excessive antibiotic prescribing, yet little is known about prescribers' views on this problem.


METHODS
We surveyed 490 internal medicine physicians at 4 Chicago-area hospitals to assess their attitudes about the importance of antibiotic resistance, knowledge of its prevalence, self-reported experience with antibiotic resistance, beliefs about its causes, and attitudes about interventions designed to address the problem.


RESULTS
The response rate was 87% (424 of 490 physicians). Antibiotic resistance was perceived as a very important national problem by 87% of the respondents, but only 55% rated the problem as very important at their own hospitals. Nearly all physicians (97%) believed that widespread and inappropriate antibiotic use were important causes of resistance. Yet, only 60% favored restricting use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, although this percentage varied by hospital and physician group.


CONCLUSIONS
Although most physicians view antibiotic resistance as a serious national problem, perceptions about its local importance, its causes, and possible solutions vary more widely. Disparities in physician knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes may compromise efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing and infection control practices.
Wester
C William
CW
Collaborative Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Room 1600, Administration Building, 1900 W Polk St, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Durairaj
Lakshmi
L
Evans
Arthur T
AT
Schwartz
David N
DN
Husain
Shahid
S
Martinez
Enrique
E
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004363:Drug Utilization; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents