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Diagnosis-prescribing surveys in 2000, 2002 and 2005 in Swedish general practice: Consultations, diagnosis, diagnostics and treatment choices

Andre, Malin ; Vernby, Asa ; Odenholt, Inga LU ; Lundborg, Cecilia Stalsby ; Axelsson, Inge ; Eriksson, Margareta ; Runehagen, Arne ; Schwan, Ake and Molstad, Sigvard (2008) In Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 40(8). p.648-654
Abstract
The aim of this study is to present diagnostic patterns, diagnostics used and antibiotic treatment in relation to guidelines in 3 repeated diagnosis-prescription studies conducted simultaneously in general practice in 5 Swedish counties, during 1 week in November 2000, 2002 and 2005. General practitioners (GPs) at the participating health centres were asked to complete a form for all patients with symptoms of an infectious disease. During the studied periods a total of 15,371 consultations was registered. Consultations with GPs diagnosed as respiratory tract infection (RTI), especially consultations for sore throat, decreased considerably between y 2000 and 2005. The percentage of patients allocated an RTI diagnosis and prescribed an... (More)
The aim of this study is to present diagnostic patterns, diagnostics used and antibiotic treatment in relation to guidelines in 3 repeated diagnosis-prescription studies conducted simultaneously in general practice in 5 Swedish counties, during 1 week in November 2000, 2002 and 2005. General practitioners (GPs) at the participating health centres were asked to complete a form for all patients with symptoms of an infectious disease. During the studied periods a total of 15,371 consultations was registered. Consultations with GPs diagnosed as respiratory tract infection (RTI), especially consultations for sore throat, decreased considerably between y 2000 and 2005. The percentage of patients allocated an RTI diagnosis and prescribed an antibiotic declined significantly from 54% to 49% and the decline was most pronounced among children. Penicillin V remained the dominant antibiotic prescribed throughout the study periods. For lower urinary tract infections there was a significant change in choice of prescribed antibiotics with an increase for pivmecillinam and nitrofurantoin and a decrease for trimethoprim, in accordance with recommendations. The results indicate a quite close adherence to current guidelines, with changes in the pattern of consultations as well as in the management of infectious diseases in general practice in Sweden. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
volume
40
issue
8
pages
648 - 654
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • wos:000258295000009
  • scopus:48249111820
  • pmid:18979603
ISSN
1651-1980
DOI
10.1080/00365540801932439
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b9d85c55-5055-430b-a7ad-1db72c530b10 (old id 1249733)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:51:02
date last changed
2022-01-28 02:53:20
@article{b9d85c55-5055-430b-a7ad-1db72c530b10,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study is to present diagnostic patterns, diagnostics used and antibiotic treatment in relation to guidelines in 3 repeated diagnosis-prescription studies conducted simultaneously in general practice in 5 Swedish counties, during 1 week in November 2000, 2002 and 2005. General practitioners (GPs) at the participating health centres were asked to complete a form for all patients with symptoms of an infectious disease. During the studied periods a total of 15,371 consultations was registered. Consultations with GPs diagnosed as respiratory tract infection (RTI), especially consultations for sore throat, decreased considerably between y 2000 and 2005. The percentage of patients allocated an RTI diagnosis and prescribed an antibiotic declined significantly from 54% to 49% and the decline was most pronounced among children. Penicillin V remained the dominant antibiotic prescribed throughout the study periods. For lower urinary tract infections there was a significant change in choice of prescribed antibiotics with an increase for pivmecillinam and nitrofurantoin and a decrease for trimethoprim, in accordance with recommendations. The results indicate a quite close adherence to current guidelines, with changes in the pattern of consultations as well as in the management of infectious diseases in general practice in Sweden.}},
  author       = {{Andre, Malin and Vernby, Asa and Odenholt, Inga and Lundborg, Cecilia Stalsby and Axelsson, Inge and Eriksson, Margareta and Runehagen, Arne and Schwan, Ake and Molstad, Sigvard}},
  issn         = {{1651-1980}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{648--654}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Diagnosis-prescribing surveys in 2000, 2002 and 2005 in Swedish general practice: Consultations, diagnosis, diagnostics and treatment choices}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00365540801932439}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00365540801932439}},
  volume       = {{40}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}