Related Experiment Videos
Parents' and physicians' views on antibiotics
1Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Pediatrics
|June 1, 1997
Summary
Parents express concerns about antibiotic overuse but frequently request antibiotics when physicians deem them unnecessary. Many parents also hold misconceptions about appropriate antibiotic use for common illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Infectious Disease Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
- Understanding parental perspectives on antibiotic use is crucial for effective public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parental opinions and concerns regarding antibiotic use in children.
- To compare parental views with those of pediatricians on antibiotic prescription and usage.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered to parents (N=400) across different practice settings.
- Survey mailed to pediatricians to gather their perspectives on parental requests and prescribing habits.
Main Results:
- A significant percentage of parents (29%) worried about their children receiving too many antibiotics, citing resistance as a concern (55%).
- Parents often believed antibiotics were necessary for viral illnesses like colds (32%) and coughs (58%).
- Pediatricians reported frequent parental requests for unnecessary antibiotics (71%) and sometimes complied (35%).
Conclusions:
- Parents are concerned about antibiotic overuse but may contribute to it through requests and misconceptions about appropriate use.
- Physicians sometimes accede to parental requests for antibiotics, even when deemed unnecessary.
- Intervention strategies are needed to address parental beliefs and physician practices to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.