The Influence of Context on Antimicrobial Prescribing for Febrile Respiratory Illness

Abstract

Little is known about the influence of contextual factors on a physician's likelihood to prescribe antimicrobials for febrile respiratory illness (FRI). Context includes epidemiologic context (for example, a pandemic period) and personal context (for example, recent exposure to other patients with FRI). To examine the association between contextual factors and antimicrobial prescribing for FRI. 5.5-year retrospective cohort study. A network of Midwestern primary care providers. All patients presenting with FRI during influenza seasons between 2006 and 2011. Antimicrobial prescribing for FRI during pandemic and seasonal influenza periods. 28 301 unique patient encounters for FRI with 69 physicians in 26 practices were included. An antibiotic was prescribed in 12 795 (45.2%) cases. The range of prescribing among physicians was 17.9% to 83.7%. Antibiotics were prescribed in 47.5% of encounters during the seasonal period and 39.2% during the pandemic period (P < 0.001). After multivariable adjustment for patient and physician characteristics, antibiotic prescribing was lower in the pandemic period (odds ratio [OR], 0.72 [95% CI, 0.68 to 0.77]) than in the seasonal period. The likelihood of prescribing an antibiotic decreased as the number of FRI cases that a physician had seen in the previous week increased (OR, 0.93 [CI, 0.86 to 1.01] for 2 to 3 patients with FRI seen in the previous week; OR, 0.84 [CI, 0.77 to 0.91] for 4 to 6 patients; OR, 0.71 [CI, 0.64 to 0.78] for 7 to 11 patients; and OR, 0.57 [CI, 0.51 to 0.63] for ≥12 patients compared with the reference range of 0 to 1 patients). Pandemic season and recent personal context were also associated with antiviral prescribing. Retrospective study in a single geographic area. Epidemiologic context and the number of cases of FRI that a physician had recently seen were associated with his or her likelihood to prescribe antimicrobials for FRI. Interventions that enhance a physician's contextual awareness may improve antimicrobial use. NorthShore University HealthSystem.