ArticleEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2003
Exploring patient- and doctor-related variables associated with antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care.
Article in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2003. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed.
- Comparison of antibiotic prescription indexes by patient and physician gender and age: a cross-sectional study based on administrative data.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Antibiotic overuse in a contemporary cohort of children hospitalized with influenza, RSV, or SARS-CoV-2: a retrospective cohort study.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
- The effects of primary care monitoring strategies on COVID-19 related hospitalisation and mortality: a retrospective electronic medical records review in a northern Italian province, the MAGMA study.The European journal of general practice · 2023Observational
- A scoping review and behavioural analysis of factors underlying overuse of antimicrobials.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2023Article
- Context and general practitioner decision-making - a scoping review of contextual influence on antibiotic prescribing.BMC family practice · 2021Article
- Characterization and preventability of adverse drug events as cause of emergency department visits: a prospective 1-year observational study.BMC pharmacology & toxicology · 2019Observational
- Detecting and Visualizing Outliers in Provider Profiling Using Funnel Plots and Mixed Effects Models-An Example from Prescription Claims Data.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Article
- Factors associated with prescribing costs: analysis of a nationwide administrative database.Cost effectiveness and resource allocation : C/E · 2018Article
- Changes in Gut Microbiota Prior to Influenza A Virus Infection Do Not Affect Immune Responses in Pups or Juvenile Mice.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2018Article
- Article
- Seasonality and Physician-related Factors Associated with Antibiotic Prescribing: A Cross-sectional Study in Isfahan, Iran.International journal of preventive medicine · 2015Article
- Differences in the drug prescriptions to children by Italian paediatricians and general practitioners.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2010Article
- Regional surveillance of emergency-department visits for outpatient adverse drug events.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2009Article
- GPs' antibiotic prescription patterns for respiratory tract infections--still room for improvement.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2009Article
- Prevalence and treatment of hypertensive patients with multiple concomitant cardiovascular risk factors in The Netherlands and Italy.Journal of human hypertension · 2008Article
- Predictors of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing among primary care physicians.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2007Article
- Antibiotic prescribing in primary care: first choice and restrictive prescribing are two different traits.Quality & safety in health care · 2007Article
- Consumption of antibiotics in a small Pacific island nation: Samoa.Pharmacy practice · 2007Article
- Adverse reactions induced by NSAIDs and antibacterials: analysis of spontaneous reports from the Sicilian regional database.Drug safety · 2006Article
- Pattern of NSAID use in the Italian general population: a questionnaire-based survey.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2004Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo assess patient- and doctor-related variables leading physicians to prescribe antibiotics or parenteral antibiotics for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and to describe the variability as well as the appropriateness of antibiotic use and its predictive factors in general practice.
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study among patients aged 15-85 years with a diagnosis of ARIs, using information from 469 GPs from the Health Search Database. Diagnoses were linked with antibiotic prescriptions and other patients and doctor-related variables. Available scientific evidence was used to establish the appropriateness of first-choice antibiotic treatment. Frequency analyses and logistic regressions were used to identify variables associated with antibiotic use and appropriateness.
resultsOn 67,761 cases of ARIs, antibiotics were prescribed in 63.2%, varying from 80.9% for acute bronchitis to 43.9% for croup, influenza and common cold. Significant associations with antibiotic use were found for geographic location and number of patients under care. The use of diagnostic tests significantly lowered the risk. Geographic location and living in an urban area were associated with parenteral antibiotic use. Amoxicillin (16.7%) and amoxicillin-clavulanate (17.9%) were the most common antibiotics prescribed. Appropriateness was reported in 39.0% of cases, with geographic location, physician's gender and diagnostic tests being the factors more predictive of appropriate antibiotic use.
conclusionsThere is still excessive antibiotic use for ARIs. Its overuse is influenced by the physicians' characteristics and by the environment in which they practice, whilst diagnostic tests might reduce inappropriateness. Therefore, effective strategies for changing diagnostic and therapeutic behaviour are needed.
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