To help reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics for common childhood illnesses, parents would benefit from fuller communication from their health care providers, suggests new research published in the National Communication Association's Journal of Applied Communication Research.
The study's authors found that only 4% of parents advised to delay the use of antibiotics for their children's ear infections recalled receiving comprehensive advice, including information about the infection, the risks of antibiotics, and how to properly care for their children.
Importantly, the study also showed that parents who recalled receiving more detailed explanations from their health care providers were more likely to use antibiotics only if they were truly needed. By waiting to administer antibiotics, parents allow their children the chance to recover naturally.
Lead author Erina L. MacGeorge from Pennsylvania State University explained, "When we use antibiotics, the strongest bacteria still survive even though we feel well again. Over time, these bacteria adapt to become resistant 'superbugs' that even very strong antibiotics with dangerous side effects cannot kill. Our best defense is to avoid antibiotics whenever possible, with guidance from health care professionals."
Previous studies have shown this so-called "watchful waiting" approach to be an effective way to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use without affecting patient safety. However, the findings of this study suggest that parents' compliance with watchful waiting advice could be increased by enhancing physician instruction.
The research study examined 134 U.S. parents of children under five years old who were given antibiotics to administer in case their child's condition failed to improve within a certain timeframe. They were asked to recall their interactions with health care providers and report what they remembered being told to do. They were also asked if they ultimately used the antibiotics.
Review of participants' responses revealed that even when parents reported receiving explanations about the risks of antibiotics, their understanding of what they heard was not necessarily complete or correct. One participant reported, "If children are given antibiotics when it is not necessary, they can build up an immunity to them." However, it's bacteria, not children, that become immune to antibiotics, so the dangers of overuse extend beyond any individual child. This misunderstanding illustrates the challenge of understanding antibiotic resistance, and the need for health care providers to more clearly communicate the dangers of overuse.
According to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, parents advised to undertake watchful waiting should receive information from health care providers on the nature of ear infections, adverse effects of antibiotics, how to monitor and manage symptoms such as pain, and when to seek follow-up care.
With antibiotic-resistant infections currently responsible for 50,000 deaths per year in the United States and Europe alone, the results of this study suggest that further research is needed to help combat overuse.
###
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS
When referencing the article: Please include Journal title, author, published by Taylor & Francis and the following statement:
* Read the full article online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2017.1320575
About Taylor & Francis Group
Taylor & Francis Group partners with researchers, scholarly societies, universities and libraries worldwide to bring knowledge to life. As one of the world's leading publishers of scholarly journals, books, ebooks and reference works our content spans all areas of Humanities, Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Science, and Technology and Medicine.
From our network of offices in Oxford, New York, Philadelphia, Boca Raton, Boston, Melbourne, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, Stockholm, New Delhi and Johannesburg, Taylor & Francis staff provide local expertise and support to our editors, societies and authors and tailored, efficient customer service to our library colleagues.
For more information, please contact:
Krystina Sihdu, Press & Media Relations Executive
Email: [email protected]
Follow us on Twitter: @tandfnewsroom
About the National Communication Association
The National Communication Association (NCA) advances Communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media, and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry. NCA serves the scholars, teachers, and practitioners who are its members by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching. Dedicated to fostering and promoting free and ethical communication, NCA promotes the widespread appreciation of the importance of communication in public and private life, the application of competent communication to improve the quality of human life and relationships, and the use of knowledge about communication to solve human problems.
For more information, visit natcom.org, follow us on Twitter at @natcomm, and find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NationalCommunicationAssociation
Media Contact
Krystina Sihdu
[email protected]
http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00909882.2017.1320575
Related Journal Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2017.1320575
############
Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag
