Effect of information on reducing inappropriate expectations and requests for antibiotics

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5267752
AutoresAlistair Thorpe (0000-0001-5078-2715, Department of Population Health Sciences University of Utah, School of Medicine Salt Lake City Utah USA, autor correspondente), Miroslav Sirota (0000-0003-2117-9532, Department of Psychology University of Essex Colchester UK), Sheina Orbell (0000-0002-8665-3541, Department of Psychology University of Essex Colchester UK), Marie Juanchich (0000-0003-0241-9529, Department of Psychology University of Essex Colchester UK)
Ano2021
Volume112
Fascículo3
Páginas804-827
Data de publicação2021-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoBritish Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0007-1269 • E-ISSN: 2044-8295
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/bjop.12494
PMID33543779
OpenAlexW3129188675
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas46

People often expect antibiotics when they are clinically inappropriate (e.g., for viral infections). This contributes significantly to physicians' decisions to prescribe antibiotics when they are clinically inappropriate, causing harm to the individual and to society. In two pre-registered studies employing UK general population samples (n1 = 402; n2 = 190), we evaluated the relationship between knowledge and beliefs with antibiotic expectations, and the effects of information provision on such expectations. We conducted a correlational study (study 1), in which we examined the role of antibiotic knowledge and beliefs and an experiment (study 2) in which we assessed the causal effect of information provision on antibiotic expectations. In study 1, we found that both knowledge and beliefs about antibiotics predicted antibiotic expectations. In study 2, a 2 (viral information: present vs. absent) × 2 (antibiotic information: present vs. absent) experimental between-subjects design, information about antibiotic efficacy significantly reduced expectations for antibiotics, but viral aetiology information did not. Providing antibiotic information substantially diminishes inappropriate expectations of antibiotics. Health campaigns might also aim to change social attitudes and normative beliefs, since more complex sociocognitive processes underpin inappropriate expectations for antibiotics

Antibiotics · Biology · Environmental health · Harm · Intensive care medicine · Normative · Population · Antibiotic Use and Resistance · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Social Psychology · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy