title: Influenza like Illness (ILI): prescribing behaviour of 83 sentry doctors in Lazio region in the period 2001-2002. Is it adherent to Italian ILI guidelines?
abstract: To describe different doctors' attitudes in drug prescribing in case of influenza-Like-Illness during 2001-2002 influenza season in Lazio region, with regard to consumption and expenditure and its adherence to Italian Guidelines on ILI Management. Prospective study aimed to assess doctors' behaviour in prescribing in respect with the following events: (a) ILI and subsequent controls after diagnosis, (b) complications, (c) adverse events to influenza vaccine. 7,629 subjects, have been identified and only 17% presents one or more comorbidities. There are totally 7,766 cases of ILI: 23% are complicated and out of the remaining 77%, only 14% presents comorbidities. Almost all elderly people have been vaccinated. Antibiotics were prescribed to complicated cases (82%) with comorbidities (55%); 1,075 patients (12%) had second or third contact with doctors in a period longer than 7 days and about 65% of them received antibiotics in case of acute bronchitis; children received mainly ibuprofen and paracetamol for fever control; acetylsalicylic acid in children group has been delivered only in 1% of cases. Overall, doctors' attitude in prescribing is generally coherent with Italian Guidelines on ILI even though a high variability still persists.
authors.affiliation: Agency of Public Health (ASP) Lazio Region, Rome, Italy. orzella@asplazio.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orzella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perria
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasquarella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faraone
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guasticchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines