WARN Baseline Survey 1999

Significant proportions of clinicians have misconceptions regarding the significance of purulent nasal discharge and purulent sputum.
Most clinicians recognized that unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to resistant bacteria, but they also felt that their patients expected antibiotics for cough, cold, and flu symptoms.
When asked to estimate the potential reduction in antibiotic use without compromising patient care, the mean percent reduction was 16% (median = 10%).

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was common. More than 40% of children and adults with non-bacterial infection diagnoses were prescribed antibiotics.
Expectation of antibiotic treatment influenced antibiotic prescribing. Parents and adults were satisfied with care regardless of whether or not an antibiotic was prescribed.
93% of parents and 83% of adults incorrectly thought that an antibiotic was needed for bronchitis. Bronchitis is typically a viral infection and does not need an antibiotic.
33% of parents and 31% of adults incorrectly thought that an antibiotic was needed for a runny nose with yellow or green mucus. A runny nose with yellow or green mucus typically is a symptom of a viral infection (cold) and does not need an antibiotic.
Respondents with exposure to multiple informational messages about antibiotic resistance were more knowledgeable about appropriate antibiotic use.
Parents who were more knowledgeable about appropriate antibiotic use were less likely to expect an antibiotic prior to the clinic visit. They are also less likely to receive an inappropriate antibiotic prescription.
Providing multiple and varied antibiotic-related informational messages may increase knowledge of appropriate antibiotic prescribing, decrease patient expectations for antibiotics and decrease inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.