[Respiratory infections outside the hospital. DIRA study].
BACKGROUND
Most visits to the primary care center are for infection and particularly respiratory tract infection. Antimicrobial administration for these clinical processes is common and these agents are often used to treat viral infections. La Fundación para el Estudio de la Infección (Foundation for the Study of Infection) designed the DIRA (Día de la Infección Respiratoria del Adulto, Adult Respiratory Infection Day) Project to investigate and assess the impact of this problem.


METHODS
The study design consisted of one-day cross sections with the participation of 720 physicians belonging to Primary Health Care Centers from the 17 Autonomic Regions of Spain, establishing a one-day cross section every three months for one year. Epidemiologic, clinical and therapeutic factors were evaluated.


RESULTS
The total number of visits attended was 72 929, and 14 426 patients had infectious processes (43.9%). Among these, 9145 (63.4%) had a respiratory infection. The mean age of the patients was 44.6 years and 34.1% had an underlying condition. Common cold was the most frequent diagnosis. Antibiotics were prescribed in 53.2% of patients. Results were compared to those of a previous study.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection in general and respiratory infection in particular is frequently attended in primary care. Antibiotics are widely used in our setting and self-medication is common.
Picazo
Juan J
JJ
Servicio de Microbiología. Hospital Clínico San Carlos. Madrid. Spain.
Pérez-Cecilia
Elisa
E
Herreras
Amadeo
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold / Q000453:epidemiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents