Antibiotic Prescription by Primary Care Physicians for Upper Respiratory Infections

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are common benign illnesses that are associated with significant economic burden, adverse effects of medications, and antimicrobial resistance. These effects have been evaluated chiefly at the tertiary health care centers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prescribing habits, including antibiotic use, for the management of URIs among the primary care physicians. METHODS: Between July and August 2006, 23 medical students visited 122 clinics of primary care physicians for the management of simulated common cold. They were instructed to present symptoms that simulated common cold; clear rhinorrhea and nasal stuffiness that lasted for 3 days, and neither was accompanied with fever nor myalgia. RESULTS: The physicians' specialties were as follows 43 were general internists; 40, otolaryngologists; 23, general practitioners; 15, family practitioners; and 1, pediatrician. The mean number of prescribed oral medications was 4.71 (S.D.+/-0.951). Glucocorticoids were prescribed in 10 (8.2%) clinics. Antibiotics were prescribed in 50 (41.0%) clinics - cephalosporins in 17, amoxicillin-clavulanate in 16, amoxicillin in 8, fluoroquinolones in 5, macrolides in 3, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in 1 clinic. There was no difference in the rates of antibiotic prescription among the specialties. Injections were recommended in 32 (26.4%) clinics. With the exception of chest X-ray recommended in 1 clinic, no laboratory or radiologic evaluation was performed. CONCLUSION: The antibiotic prescription rate observed in this study is lower than those of the previous studies. Since diagnostic tests are seldom performed, diagnostic ambiguity might be a key cause for the overuse of antibiotics in the management of URI. The reasons for the high rates of prescription of parenteral medications need to be evaluated.