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Hartman EAR, Groen WG, Heltveit-Olsen SR, Lindbæk M, Høye S, Sundvall PD, Skoglund I, Snaebjörnsson Arnljots E, Gunnarsson R, Kowalczyk A, Godycki-Cwirko M, Kosiek K, Platteel TN, van de Pol AC, Verheij TJM, Monnier AA, Hertogh CMPM. Decisions on antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults: a qualitative study in four European countries. Age Ageing 2022; 51:afac134. [PMID: 35697352 PMCID: PMC9191618 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND a suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common reason to prescribe antibiotics in a frail older patient. Frequently, antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily. To increase appropriate antibiotic use for UTIs through antibiotic stewardship interventions, we need to thoroughly understand the factors that contribute to these prescribing decisions. OBJECTIVES (1) to obtain insight into factors contributing to antibiotic prescribing for suspected UTIs in frail older adults. (2) To develop an overarching model integrating these factors to guide the development of antibiotic stewardship interventions for UTIs in frail older adults. METHODS we conducted an exploratory qualitative study with 61 semi-structured interviews in older adult care settings in Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. We interviewed physicians, nursing staff, patients and informal caregivers. RESULTS participants described a chain of decisions by patients, caregivers and/or nursing staff preceding the ultimate decision to prescribe antibiotics by the physician. We identified five themes of influence: (1) the clinical situation and its complexity within the frail older patient, (2) diagnostic factors, such as asymptomatic bacteriuria, (3) knowledge (gaps) and attitude, (4) communication: interprofessional, and with patients and relatives and (5) context and organisation of care, including factors such as availability of antibiotics (over the counter), antibiotic stewardship efforts and factors concerning out-of-hours care. CONCLUSIONS decision-making on suspected UTIs in frail older adults is a complex, multifactorial process. Due to the diverse international setting and stakeholder variety, we were able to provide a comprehensive overview of factors to guide the development of antibiotic stewardship interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther A R Hartman
- Department of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Aging & Later Life, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wim G Groen
- Department of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Aging & Later Life, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Silje Rebekka Heltveit-Olsen
- The Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Morten Lindbæk
- The Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sigurd Høye
- The Antibiotic Centre for Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pär-Daniel Sundvall
- General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Research, Education, Development & Innovation, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Ingmarie Skoglund
- General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Research, Education, Development & Innovation, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Egill Snaebjörnsson Arnljots
- General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Research, Education, Development & Innovation, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Ronny Gunnarsson
- General Practice/Family Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Research, Education, Development & Innovation, Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
- Primary Health Care Clinic for Homeless People, Närhälsan, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden
| | - Anna Kowalczyk
- Centre for Family and Community Medicine, the Faculty of Health Sciences, The Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Maciek Godycki-Cwirko
- Centre for Family and Community Medicine, the Faculty of Health Sciences, The Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Tamara N Platteel
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alma C van de Pol
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Theo J M Verheij
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annelie A Monnier
- Department of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Aging & Later Life, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cees M P M Hertogh
- Department of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Aging & Later Life, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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