title: Delayed/back up antibiotic prescriptions: what do the public think?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the general public's understanding, acceptance and use of delayed antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face to face computer-assisted survey using an Ipsos MORI Capibus survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly selected households in England using multistage sampling.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample of 1625 adults aged over 15 years and recruited from household visits in England, using age and gender quotas for each area.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was undertaken in January 2014. Weights based on gender, age, ethnicity, working status, social grade, housing tenure and Government Office Region corrected for selection biases, so that results are broadly representative of the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of respondents; understanding the meaning of the term delayed antibiotic prescription and how the strategy is used in general practice; in favour of, or opposed to clinicians offering them a delayed antibiotic; reporting receipt, use and acceptability of delayed antibiotic prescriptions in the past year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17% reported fully understanding the meaning of delayed antibiotic prescription and strategy use in general practice;72% were unaware of the term or strategy; 36-39% were in favour of, and 28-30% opposed to clinicians offering them a delayed antibiotic for throat, urine, ear or chest infections. Half of those who were fully aware of the term and practice were in favour of delayed antibiotics. Women, and older respondents, were more strongly opposed to delayed prescribing. Only 4% of all respondents, and 15% of those prescribed an antibiotic, reported being offered a delayed antibiotic in the last year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wider understanding and acceptance of delayed prescribing may facilitate increased uptake. Further research is needed to determine why groups are so strongly in favour or opposed to delayed prescribing.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Public Health England, Microbiology Department, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK.
authors.forename: Cliodna A M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Public Health England, Microbiology Department, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lecky
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Public Health England, Microbiology Department, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK.
authors.forename: Meredith K D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1519-2458
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hawking
authors.affiliation: Ipsos MORI, Social Research Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quigley
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences Oxford University, Oxford, UK Cardiff University, Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff, UK Cwm Taf University Health Board.
authors.forename: Chris C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011634:Public Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: INFECTIOUS DISEASES; MICROBIOLOGY; PRIMARY CARE; PUBLIC HEALTH; antibiotics; antimicrobials