Skip to main content

Table 3 Antibiotic sale without a prescription based on reported clinical case

From: Community pharmacy staff’s response to symptoms of common infections: a pseudo-patient study

All cases

Pseudo-patient case presented, frequency (%)

Overall

n = 242

Sore throat

n = 60

Common cold

n = 60

Diarrhoea

n = 60

UTI

n = 62

1st level of request (Can I get some medicine to alleviate the symptoms)

39 (16)

11 (18)

1 (2)

9 (15)

18 (29)

2nd level of request (Can I get something stronger)

33 (14)

7 (12)

6 (10)

11 (18)

9 (15)

3rd level of request (I would like an antibiotic)

27 (11)

8 (13)

2 (3)

10 (17)

7 (11)

Antibiotic dispensed (all degree)

99 (41)

26 (43)

9 (15)

30 (50)

34 (55)

Antibiotic not dispensed

143 (59)

34 (57)

51 (85)

30 (50)

28 (45)

Antibiotics dispensed cases

n = 99

n = 26

n = 9

n = 29

n = 34

Ciprofloxacin

29 (30)

1 (4)

Nil

2 (7)

26 (76)

Metronidazole

23 (23)

Nil

Nil

23 (79)

Nil

Erythromycin

19 (20)

17 (65)

Nil

2 (7)

Nil

Amoxicillin

9 (9)

1 (4)

8 (89)

Nil

Nil

Azithromycin

8 (8)

7 (27)

Nil

1 (3)

Nil

Norfloxacin

5 (5)

Nil

Nil

Nil

5 (15)

Other antibiotics

7 (4)

Nil

1 (11)

1 (3)

3 (9)