ArticleBMC family practice2020
Understanding determinants of patients' decisions to attend their family physician and to take antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections: a qualitative descriptive study.
Article in BMC family practice, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and incidence of infections among people with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of global health · 2026Pooled it
- Physicians', pharmacists', and nurses' education of patients about antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in primary care settings: a qualitative systematic literature review.Frontiers in antibiotics · 2024Pooled it
- The vicious cycle of the public's irrational use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections: A mixed methods systematic review.Frontiers in public health · 2022Pooled it
- Article
- A Qualitative Study Exploring Women's Understanding and Experiences of Managing Hypertension in Primary Care.CJC open · 2025Article
- Patients' perspectives regarding antibiotic treatment for acute sinusitis in Norwegian general practice. A qualitative interview study.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2025Article
- Article
- The public's irrational use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections: a cross-sectional study based on the health belief model.Scientific reports · 2025Observational
- Understanding patients' perceptions of uncomplicated low back pain: a theory-informed qualitative study using the Common-Sense Self-Regulation Model.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- Knowledge, Attitudes, Motivations, Expectations, and Systemic Factors Regarding Antimicrobial Use Amongst Community Members Seeking Care at the Primary Healthcare Level: A Scoping Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Article
- Understanding patient demand for and use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection: A qualitative application of the Necessity-Concerns Framework in Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Shifts in patterns of mental health burden during the COVID-19 pandemic.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2023Article
- Post-consultation acute respiratory tract infection recovery: a latent class-informed analysis of individual patient data.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2023Article
- Patients' Experiences, Expectations, Motivations, and Perspectives around Urinary Tract Infection Care in General Practice: A Qualitative Interview Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Patient perceptions of vulnerability to recurrent respiratory tract infections and prevention strategies: a qualitative study.BMJ open · 2022Article
- The value, challenges and practical considerations of conducting qualitative research on antimicrobial stewardship in primary care.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2022Review
- The use of paracetamol for first-line treatment of acute sore throat. A descriptive generic qualitative study of GPs and patients.The European journal of general practice · 2021Article
- Antibiotic Prescribing and Doctor-Patient Communication During Consultations for Respiratory Tract Infections: A Video Observation Study in Out-of-Hours Primary Care.Frontiers in medicine · 2021Article
- Clinician and Patient Factors Influencing Treatment Decisions: Ethnographic Study of Antibiotic Prescribing and Operative Procedures in Out-of-Hours and General Dental Practices.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough antibiotics have little or no benefit for most upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), they continue to be prescribed frequently in primary care. Physicians perceive that patients' expectations influence their antibiotic prescribing practice; however, not all patients seek antibiotic treatment despite having similar symptoms. In this study, we explored patients' views about URTIs, and the ways patients manage them (including attendance in primary care and taking antibiotics).
methodsUsing a qualitative descriptive design, adult English-speaking individuals at a Canadian health center were recruited through convenient sampling. The participants were interviewed using semi-structured interview guide based on the Common Sense-Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded according to CS-SRM dimensions (illness representations, coping strategies). Sampling continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Thematic analysis related to the dimensions of CS-SRM was applied.
resultsGenerally, participants had accurate perception about the symptoms of URTIs, as well as how to prevent and manage them. However, some participants revealed misconceptions about the causes of URTIs. Almost all participants mentioned that they only visited their doctor if their symptoms got progressively worse and they could no longer self-manage the symptoms. When visiting a doctor, most participants reported that they did not seek antibiotics. They expected to receive an examination and an explanation for their symptoms.
conclusionOur participants reported good understanding regarding the likely lack of benefit from antibiotics for URTIs. Developing interventions that specifically help patients discuss their concerns with their physicians, instead of providing more education to public may help in reducing the use of unnecessary antibiotics.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.