URTI antibiotic prescribing: patient scenario & Think-Aloud study V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Factors associated with GPs’ antibiotic prescribing decisions for URTIs and perceptions of decisional difficulty: a patient scenario and Think-Aloud study
IRAS ID
139446
Contact name
Nicola McCleary
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen & NHS Grampian
Research summary
In general practice, antibiotics were often over-prescribed for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs, such as sore throats). This resulted in unnecessary exposure of patients to antibiotic side effects, and contributed to antibiotic resistance, which reduced antibiotic effectiveness and was a major public health problem. Consequently, URTI had been identified in Scotland was a target area for reducing general practice antibiotic use. Interventions aimed at assisting General Practitioners’ prescribing decisions had been somewhat successful, but high prescribing rates persisted. This was perhaps because detailed understanding of the underlying decision-making process was lacking: this study aimed to enhance this knowledge base.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
14/NS/0079
Date of REC Opinion
19 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion