ArticleBMC health services research2025
The impact of an electronic learning intervention to support appropriate antibiotic prescribing behaviour by non-medical prescribers for upper respiratory tract infections in the primary care setting: a feasibility study.
Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Educational Technologies to Support Rational Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Healthcare: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Pooled it
- Barriers and facilitators to implementing e-learning for infection management in primary care: a scoping review.BMC primary care · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInterventions are available for general practitioners to support appropriate antibiotic prescribing behaviour for common, acute, uncomplicated, self-limiting upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Non-medical prescribers frequently manage these conditions, but no such interventions exist for these groups. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and perceived impact of a theory-based electronic learning intervention designed to support appropriate antibiotic prescribing by non-medical prescribers for URTIs in primary care settings.
methodsA repeated measures, electronic survey design was used, with data collection occurring pre-intervention (stage 1), post-intervention (stage 3), and at a 3-month follow-up (stage 4). The intervention's usefulness was assessed by analysing prescribers' self-reported confidence and knowledge in treating patients with URTIs, as well as their views on the relevance of the intervention to their work. The influence of the intervention on prescribing behaviour was evaluated by examining prescribers' perceived capabilities, opportunities, and motivations (COM) in the pre-intervention questionnaire and at follow-up. Feasibility outcome measures included recruitment, retention, and engagement with the intervention.
resultsTwenty-one participants (n = 18 nurses, n = 1 pharmacist, and n = 2 paramedics) responded to the recruitment materials, followed the weblink to the survey, and completed the intervention over the 2-month recruitment period. Outcome data for 21 participants were available for pre- and post intervention (stage 1 & 3) and 11 (52%) participants completed follow-up (stage 4). Behavioural practice (information and support for self-management of URTIs) and perceived COM in relation to prescribing for patients with URTIs all increased at follow-up. Mean confidence scores were high at pre- and post-intervention stages but showed a slight decrease at follow-up. The intervention was reported to be useful and applicable to participants' practice.
conclusionIt was feasible to recruit the target sample, and participants engaged well with the intervention. However, further consideration is needed for recruiting pharmacists and paramedics and developing a retention strategy for the follow-up survey. Behaviour and COM influences on behaviour changed positively from before to after the intervention. Future work should consider using the intervention in nursing and pharmacy undergraduate programmes, with students on prescribing programmes, and with other non-medical prescribers such as paramedic and physiotherapist prescribers.
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