BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to recommendations for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) is common, but the reasons are not sufficiently understood. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess and compare the influence of specific patient characteristics on GPs' treatment decisions for UTI in four European countries. METHODS: GPs in The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Germany were presented 18-26 case vignettes of UTI. Linear regression models were used to determine which patient characteristics predicted non-optimal decisions. RESULTS: Adherence to national recommendations varied both within and between countries, but there were remarkable similarities in the case characteristics predicting non-optimal decisions: a history of UTI and the patient's age were strongly related to prescription of second-choice antibiotics and longer treatment courses. CONCLUSION: In all countries many GPs were reluctant to follow the recommendations in UTI cases that they might perceive as being more complicated.
BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to recommendations for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) is common, but the reasons are not sufficiently understood. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess and compare the influence of specific patient characteristics on GPs' treatment decisions for UTI in four European countries. METHODS: GPs in The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Germany were presented 18-26 case vignettes of UTI. Linear regression models were used to determine which patient characteristics predicted non-optimal decisions. RESULTS: Adherence to national recommendations varied both within and between countries, but there were remarkable similarities in the case characteristics predicting non-optimal decisions: a history of UTI and the patient's age were strongly related to prescription of second-choice antibiotics and longer treatment courses. CONCLUSION: In all countries many GPs were reluctant to follow the recommendations in UTI cases that they might perceive as being more complicated.
Authors: Christopher P Dwyer; Pádraig MacNeela; Hannah Durand; Andrea Gibbons; Bronagh Reynolds; Edel Doherty; Sinéad Conneely; Brian W Slattery; Andrew W Murphy; Brian E McGuire Journal: PLoS One Date: 2018-03-26 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Michelle T Hecker; Clinton J Fox; Andrea H Son; Rita K Cydulka; Jonathan E Siff; Charles L Emerman; Ajay K Sethi; Christine P Muganda; Curtis J Donskey Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-02-03 Impact factor: 3.240