Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2005 Feb;55(511):114-8.

Prescribing antibiotics for respiratory tract infections by GPs: management and prescriber characteristics

Annemiek E Akkerman  1 , Marijke M Kuyvenhoven, Johannes C van der Wouden, Theo J M Verheij
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Prescribing antibiotics for respiratory tract infections by GPs: management and prescriber characteristics

Annemiek E Akkerman et al. Br J Gen Pract. 2005 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Due to clinical and non-clinical factors, considerable variation exists in the prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) by GPs based in the Netherlands.

Aim: To assess, in patients with RTIs in Dutch general practice: the prescribing rates of antibiotics; the relationship between GP characteristics and antibiotic prescribing; and the type of antibiotics prescribed.

Design of study: Descriptive and prognostic.

Setting: Eighty-four GPs in the middle region of the Netherlands.

Method: All patient consultations for RTIs were registered by 84 GPs during 3 weeks in autumn and winter 2001 and 2002. In addition, all GPs completed a questionnaire related to individual and practice characteristics.

Results: The mean proportion of consultations in which GPs prescribed antibiotics was 33% (95% CI = 29 to 35%) of all RTIs. This proportion varied from 21% for patients with upper RTIs or an exacerbation of asthma/COPD, to about 70% when patients had sinusitis-like complaints or pneumonia. Amoxycillin and doxycycline were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics, while 17% of the antibiotics prescribed were macrolides. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the longer GPs had practised, the more frequently they prescribed antibiotics, especially in combination with relatively little knowledge about RTIs or the less time GPs felt they had available per patient. The final model, with seven factors, explained 29% of the variance of antibiotic prescribing.

Conclusion: The prescribing behaviour of Dutch GPs might be improved with regard to choice of type and indication of antibiotics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clinical entities and type of antibiotics (n = 2630 consultations)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Van de Lisdonk EH, van den Bosch WJHM, Huygen FJA. Lagro-Janssen ALM (redactie). Ziekten in de huisartspraktijk. Maarssen: Elsevier/Bunge; 1999. [Diseases in General Practice.]
    1. De Melker RA, Kuyvenhoven MM. Management of upper respiratory tract infections in Dutch family practice. J Fam Pract. 1994;38:353–357. - PubMed
    1. Kuyvenhoven MM, Verheij TJM, de Melker RA, van der Velden J. Antimicrobial agents in lower respiratory tract infections in Dutch general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2000;50:133–134. - PMC - PubMed
    1. De Melker RA. Effectiviteit van antibiotica bij veel voorkomende luchtweginfecties in de huisartspraktijk. [Efficacy of antibiotics in frequently occurring airway infections in family practice.] Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1998;142:452–456. - PubMed
    1. Butler CC, Rollnick S, Pill R, et al. Understanding the culture of prescribing: qualitative study of general practitioners' and patients' perceptions of antibiotics for sore throats. BMJ. 1998;317:637–42. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Substances