Osteopathic physicians in the United States: antibiotic prescribing practices for patients with nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections.
OBJECTIVE
To assess factors related to prescribing antibiotics for nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) by office-based osteopathic physicians.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of physician office visits by patients with URTIs, using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database for a 5-year period. Antibiotic prescribing was analyzed based on patient and physician characteristics. Multiple logistic regression modeling was then used to assess the independent contribution of these factors.


RESULTS
Between July 1, 1997, and June 30, 2001, there were 9.6 million patient visits to osteopathic physicians for URTIs in the United States. Antibiotics were prescribed in 56.4% (5.41 million) of these visits. Adults, nonwhites, females, patients with a concurrent condition such as acute bronchitis, acute otitis media, acute pharyngitis, acute sinusitis, or asthma, and patients requiring additional medications for their symptoms were more likely to be given antibiotics. In addition, family physicians, physicians who were not owners of their practices, and those practicing in nonmetropolitan areas were more likely to prescribe antibiotics.


CONCLUSIONS
Antibiotics were prescribed in more than 4.8 million (50%) patient visits for URTIs. Greater efforts are needed to address some of the factors that influence prescribing practices.
Sun
Chao
C
Department of Family Medicine, University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1750 Independence Ave, Kansas City, MO 64106-1453, USA. csun@uhs.edu
Jew
Sherman
S
Dasta
Susan L
SL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019992:Databases as Topic; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits; D010021:Osteopathic Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents