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Antibiotic and benzodiazepine prescribing by general practice trainees
Author(s) -
Zwar Nicholas A,
Gordon J Jill,
SansonFisher Robert W
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1994.tb127565.x
Subject(s) - medicine , general practice , anxiety , antibiotics , respiratory tract infections , benzodiazepine , tonsillitis , depression (economics) , family medicine , pediatrics , psychiatry , intensive care medicine , respiratory system , macroeconomics , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , economics , biology
Objective To study the prescribing of antibiotics and benzodiazepines by a group of general practice trainees. Methods Forty‐six trainees in their general practice term with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Training Program and 495 experienced general practitioners were compared with regard to patients managed, prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections and prescribing of benzodiazepines for anxiety, sleep disorders and depression. Results Trainees saw more young patients and patients with acute respiratory infections, and fewer patients with psychological problems, than the experienced practitioners. Trainees prescribed antibiotics less often for undifferentiated upper respiratory tract infection and their prescribing for tonsillitis was more frequently in agreement with prescribing guidelines. Trainees were less likely to prescribe a benzodiazepine for anxiety or sleep problems. Conclusions General practice trainees were relatively conservative prescribers of antibiotics and benzodiazepines. At times both groups did not prescribe in accordance with antibiotic prescribing guidelines and an appreciable number of patients continue to be prescribed benzodiazepines on a long term basis.