The effect of written information on adherence to antibiotic treatment in acute sore throat

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 56 - 61
• Main Authors: Segador, J., Gil-Guillen, V.F., Orozco, D., Quirce, F., Carratalá, M.C., Fernández-Parker, A., Merino, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 01-07-2005; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trial; Health education; Humans; Medical sciences; Patient Compliance; Patient Education as Topic - methods; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharyngitis - drug therapy; Pharyngitis/tonsillitis; Therapeutic compliance; Tonsillitis - drug therapy; Therapeutic compliance; Clinical trial; Pharyngitis/tonsillitis; Antibiotics; Health education; Acute; Information; Antibiotic; ENT disease; Treatment compliance; Pharynx disease; Pharyngitis; Antibacterial agent
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.03.009

A randomised clinical trial was conducted to establish whether written instructions, in addition to verbal ones, significantly improve adherence to antibiotic treatment for acute sore throat in comparison with verbal instructions only. Patients were selected by consecutive sampling at seven primary healthcare surgeries. The pill count average was 87.4
±
25.2% and it was higher in the intervention group (93.7
±
24.5%) than in the control group (81.1
±
24.5%) (
P
<
0.05). Absolute risk reduction was 14% (95% confidence interval (CI), −3.77 to 26.56); relative risk reduction was 24.9% (95% CI, −11.04 to 58.28); the number needed to treat was 8.77. Written instructions, in addition to verbal ones, significantly improve compliance with antibiotic treatment in tonsillitis of acute sore throat in comparison with verbal instructions only.