Risk assessment and antibiotic prescribing decisions in children presenting to UK primary care with cough: a vignette study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The validated 'STARWAVe' (Short illness duration, Temperature, Age, Recession, Wheeze, Asthma, Vomiting) clinical prediction rule (CPR) uses seven variables to guide risk assessment and antimicrobial stewardship in children presenting with cough. We aimed to compare general practitioners' (GPs) risk assessments and prescribing decisions to those of STARWAVe and assess the influence of the CPR's clinical variables.

Setting

Primary care.

Participants

252 GPs, currently practising in the UK.

Design

GPs were randomly assigned to view four (of a possible eight) clinical vignettes online. Each vignette depicted a child presenting with cough, who was described in terms of the seven STARWAVe variables. Systematically, we manipulated patient age (20 months vs

SUBMITTER: Nurek M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7375509 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature