ANTIBIOTICS AND RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS - ARE PATIENTS MORE SATISFIED WHEN EXPECTATIONS ARE MET

Background. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for respiratory infe ctions, even though most of these infections are viral. To understand why physicians do so, we studied patients' and physicians' expectation s for antibiotics and the effects of the patient-physician interaction on patient satisfaction. Methods. Patients with a respiratory infecti on were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after visiting wi th physicians at three family medicine centers. Physicians completed a questionnaire following the visit. Results. Sixty-five percent of the 113 patients with respiratory infection expected antibiotics. Physici ans had some ability to perceive this expectation and frequently presc ribed antibiotics for patients who expected them. Antibiotics were pre scribed to over 75% of patients with them. Conclusions. Physicians fre quently prescribe antibiotics for upper respiratory infections when th ey believe patients expect it, but receiving a prescription for antibi otics is not in and of itself associated with increased patient satisf action. sinusitis or bronchitis and to 18% of those diagnosed with onl y viral infections. No association was found between a prescription fo r antibiotics and patient satisfaction; however, patient satisfaction did correlate with the patients' report that they understood the illne ss and that the physician spent enough time with them.