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) |