title: How long do the Hong Kong Chinese expect their URTI to last? - effects on antibiotic use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent literature shows that there is a large mismatch between the US patients' expected duration of acute cough illness and the actual duration. It has been suggested that this discrepancy may lead to antibiotic misuse. Currently, there is limited relevant information for the Chinese. This study aims to investigate the duration that Hong Kong Chinese expect their upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) to last and its possible association with antibiotic use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional telephone questionnaire survey with 2,471 adult respondents was conducted in Hong Kong between November and December of 2010. The expected URTI duration of the respondents and their antibiotic use behaviors were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for the effects of demographic factors including age, gender, education and income.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Excluding 80 uncertain responses, 544 (23.1%) respondents expected their URTI to last for 1-3 days in general, 613 (25.5%) for 4-6 days, 1168 (48.6%) for 1-2 weeks, and 66 (2.7%) for > 2 weeks. The mean of expected duration was 7.4 (SD:4.2) days. Respondents expecting 1-3 days duration were least likely to ask for and be treated with antibiotics. The proportion of respondents being treated with antibiotics for the last URTI increased from 10% for the 1-3 days group to 23% for the > 2 weeks group (χ(2) = 19.086, P < 0.001). The effect of expected duration remained significant (P = 0.0188) after adjusting for the effects of demographic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Hong Kong Chinese expect their URTI to last for about 7 days on average. Different from the notion that underestimation of the actual duration would lead to antibiotic misuse, this study shows that patients expecting a longer duration have a doubled chance to be treated with antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong. tplam@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Tai Pong
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. hrntlkf@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Kwok Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong. wunyt@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Yuk Tsan
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wun
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong. kssun@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Kai Sing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents