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Reliability of self-reporting of antibiotic consumption in the community - Index of Reliability
K Ferson1, J Montgomery, R E Moore
1Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, UK; Durham University, Durham, UK.
What Is Known And Objective:
To date, there is no evidence to indicate the reliability of how patients self-report their own antibiotic usage in the community. Such data are fundamental in supporting antimicrobial stewardship practices, and so there is a need to determine its accuracy and reliability.
Comment:
Patients in the community (n = 476) were required to recollect their antibiotic usage in the past three months. Simultaneously, similar information was obtained by careful extraction from their respective medical notes, which was qualitatively compared with the patient's recollection. Overall, concordance was high (88·1%), but age (<20 and >80 years) and sex (female) were significant factors of reliability.
What Is New And Conclusion:
This study suggests that basic self-reporting of antibiotic usage amongst patients is relatively reliable, with increasing accuracy with years until 80 years. Where such information is critical, the current study can help decide who to interview and whose notes to interrogate, in the quest to obtain reliable and accurate information.
Insights
Patient self-reporting of antibiotic use is generally reliable for antimicrobial stewardship. Accuracy increases with age up to 80 years, with some demographic factors influencing results.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Accurate data on community antibiotic use is crucial for effective antimicrobial stewardship.
- Current evidence on the reliability of patient self-reported antibiotic usage is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accuracy and reliability of patient self-reported antibiotic usage in a community setting.
- To identify factors influencing the reliability of self-reported antibiotic data.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 476 community patients who recalled their antibiotic usage over the past three months.
- Comparison of patient recollections with antibiotic information extracted from their medical records.
- Qualitative analysis to determine the concordance between self-reported and documented antibiotic use.
Main Results:
- High overall concordance (88.1%) was observed between patient self-reports and medical records.
- Age (patients under 20 and over 80 years) and female sex were identified as significant factors affecting reliability.
- Antibiotic usage reporting accuracy generally improved with age until 80 years.
Conclusions:
- Patient self-reporting of antibiotic usage in the community is a relatively reliable method.
- The findings provide guidance on optimizing data collection for antimicrobial stewardship programs.
- Understanding demographic influences can help target data collection efforts for improved accuracy.
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