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Published on: November 17, 2018
Parents' perspectives on childhood antibiotic treatment in Ireland-a qualitative study
Anthony Maher1, Eimear C Morrissey2,3, Andrew W Murphy4,5
1School of Psychology, University of Galway, Galway, County Galway, Ireland.
Insights
Parental understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and navigating healthcare influenced antibiotic seeking. Tailored communication and support for parents are crucial for effective antimicrobial stewardship in primary care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Qualitative Research
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Paediatric respiratory infections frequently lead to antibiotic prescriptions in primary care, often deviating from guidelines.
- Parental beliefs and behaviors significantly influence clinical decisions regarding antibiotic use, yet are under-explored.
- This study investigates parental perspectives on antibiotic treatment-seeking in Ireland.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parental perspectives on antibiotic treatment-seeking behavior in Ireland.
- To understand how parental beliefs and experiences shape decisions related to antibiotic use for children's respiratory infections.
- To identify factors influencing antibiotic prescribing patterns from a parental viewpoint.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with 20 parents of children under 8 years old in Ireland.
- Utilized the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour) model to guide interviews.
- Inductive analysis of interview data using reflexive thematic analysis, mapping themes to COM-B domains.
Main Results:
- Three key themes emerged: perceived knowledge gaps in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), navigating professional gatekeepers (GPs, pharmacists, receptionists), and decision-making processes driven by reassurance seeking and anxiety management.
- Parents perceived AMR as both a personal risk and a distant policy issue.
- Interactions with healthcare professionals significantly shaped parental decisions and access to care.
Conclusions:
- Emphasizes the need for socio-culturally tailored AMR messaging and interventions addressing parental concerns and systemic barriers.
- Highlights opportunities to enhance antimicrobial stewardship by centering parental voices, improving communication, and expanding primary healthcare team roles.
- Parental engagement and understanding are vital for effective antimicrobial stewardship programs.
Background And Objectives:
Paediatric respiratory tract infections can be a common reason for antibiotic prescribing in primary healthcare. Despite stewardship efforts, prescribing patterns often diverge from evidence-based guidelines. There are limited explorations of how parental beliefs and behaviours shape clinical decision-making. This qualitative study explored parental perspectives on antibiotic treatment-seeking behaviour in Ireland.
Methods:
We carried out semi-structured interviews with 20 parents who had children under 8 years old in Ireland. The interviews were guided by the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour) model. The interview data was analysed inductively, using reflexive thematic analysis. Following this, relevant themes and subthemes were mapped to the domains of the COM-B.
Results:
The study identified three key themes: (i) experiencing perceived knowledge gaps in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use captured how participants described negotiating AMR as a personal health risk while also experiencing AMR as a distant policy; (ii) navigating professional gatekeepers described the role of consulting with the general practitioner (GP), the out-of-hours doctor paradox, trusting the pharmacist and seeing receptionists as hidden gatekeepers who all shaped access to care; and (iii) deciding when to act reflected how people sought pragmatic reassurance and managed illness escalation anxiety in making decisions about seeking treatment.
Conclusions:
The study underscores the need for socio-culturally tailored antimicrobial resistance messaging and interventions that address both parental concerns and systemic barriers. By centring parental voices, this research highlights opportunities to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship through improved communication, recognition and expanded roles for the primary healthcare team.
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