Dissertation
Using behaviour change theory to design an intervention for Australian general practitioners to reduce antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00806
Abstract
General practitioners (GPs) prescribe antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections at high rates, despite evidence that suggests little benefit. Use of antibiotics causes antibiotic resistance, which is a major threat to global health. It is predicted more people will die of antibiotic resistance than of cancer by 2030. GPs have been the focus of many interventions to try to change antibiotic prescribing behaviour. These interventions have produced only modest results and variable antibiotic prescribing continues, with recent antibiotic use increasing in the community. From a public health perspective, reducing inappropriate and unnecessary antibiotics for humans is the single most important action needed to slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.
Delayed prescribing – when a GP gives the patient a prescription with advice to wait a certain amount of time before starting antibiotics (or not) – is an evidence-based method to reduce antibiotic use in primary care. In high-income countries, less than 5% of prescriptions for common infections are delayed. Researchers exploring why evidence is not translated into practice identify interventions are not well designed and most lack theoretical underpinnings. Without a theoretical approach, it is difficult to evaluate why a strategy is not adopted or, if it is, what components can be replicated in different contexts. This research sought to fill this evidence gap by using behaviour change models and frameworks to design an intervention for Australian GPs to reduce antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections.
The aim of the research was to apply theoretical concepts to understand how to support GPs to use delayed prescribing with patients who present with a respiratory tract infection. However, recruiting GPs to research is difficult and additional research was completed to understand barriers and facilitators to GPs participating in research studies. Four research questions were posed. Question 1: What is the international evidence on delayed prescribing? Question 2: What are barriers and facilitators to delayed prescribing in Australia? Question 3: What are barriers and facilitators to GPs’ participation in implementation research as participants? Question 4: How are theoretical constructs used to design, and recruit to, a delayed prescribing intervention?
Details
- Title
- Using behaviour change theory to design an intervention for Australian general practitioners to reduce antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections
- Authors
- Lucy Sargent - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, External
- Contributors
- Jane Taylor (Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthJohn Lowe (Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyChris Del Mar (Supervisor)
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00806
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Public Health
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99984498902621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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