Patient Demand Drives Unnecessary Antibiotic Prescribing

Perceived patient demand for antibiotics motivates clinicians to prescribe them even when they are unnecessary to treat the conditions of the medical visit, according to a new AHRQ-funded study published in Family Practice. The study, based on interviews with 25 clinicians from nine practices across three states, identified perceived patient demand as the most common reason for prescribing unnecessary antibiotics, such as to treat a viral instead of a bacterial infection. Other reasons included fear of missing an infection and being uncertain of a diagnosis, though these reasons often occurred alongside perceived patient demand. Access the abstract and article.