Changing the prescribing behaviour of general practitioners: Understanding the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to promote prudent antibiotic use across Europe Seminar

Antibiotic resistance is an international health concern due to its potential to increase morbidity and mortality from illnesses that are currently treatable. Antibiotic prescribing by GPs in primary care has been shown to directly contribute to rates of antibiotic resistance. Many interventions have been introduced across European countries in an attempt to promote prudent use of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in primary care.

The aim of my PhD was to explore healthcare professionals’ views and experiences of antibiotic prescribing and interventions to promote prudent antibiotic use in the management of RTIs across Europe.

A qualitative interview study was carried out exploring GPs’ views of antibiotic prescribing and interventions to promote prudent use of antibiotics. Alongside this, a second qualitative study asked about the views of ‘experts’, those who designed, developed or implemented interventions to promote prudent antibiotic use, on their views of GP antibiotic prescribing. Both qualitative studies were carried out across five European countries. The results of both studies revealed consistent views despite differences in context, indicating that both GPs and experts held similar beliefs about the acceptability and feasibility of different types of interventions.

A systematic review was then undertaken which synthesised all qualitative work which had explored the views of GPs on antibiotic prescribing or interventions to promote prudent use. The review incorporated studies from several developed countries and produced a model highlighting seven factors which influence GPs’ prescribing decisions and aspects of interventions which could address these factors.