TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring patients' views of primary care consultations with contrasting interventions for acute cough
T2 - a six-country European qualitative study
AU - GRACE INTRO team
AU - Tonkin-Crine, Sarah
AU - Anthierens, Sibyl
AU - Francis, Nick A
AU - Brugman, Curt
AU - Fernandez-Vandellos, Patricia
AU - Krawczyk, Jaroslaw
AU - Llor, Carl
AU - Yardley, Lucy
AU - Coenen, Samuel
AU - Godycki-Cwirko, Maciek
AU - Butler, Christopher C
AU - Verheij, Theo J M
AU - Goossens, Herman
AU - Little, Paul
AU - Cals, Jochen W
PY - 2014/7/17
Y1 - 2014/7/17
N2 - BACKGROUND: In a pan-European randomised controlled trial (GRACE INTRO) of two interventions, (i) a point-of-care C-reactive protein test and/or (ii) training in communication skills and use of an interactive patient booklet, both interventions resulted in large reductions in antibiotic prescribing for acute cough.AIMS: This process evaluation explored patients' views of primary care consultations using the two interventions in six European countries.METHODS: Sixty-two interviews were conducted with patients who had participated in the GRACE INTRO trial. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated into English where necessary. Analysis used techniques from thematic and framework analysis.RESULTS: Most patients were satisfied with their consultation despite many not receiving an antibiotic. Patients appeared to accept the use of both intervention approaches. A minority, but particularly in the trial arm with both interventions, reported that they would wait longer before consulting for cough in future.CONCLUSIONS: Patients perceived that both interventions supported the general practitioner's (GP's) prescribing decisions by helping them understand when an antibiotic was, and was not, needed. Patients consulting with acute cough had largely positive views about the GP's enhanced communication skills, which included understanding their concerns, and the use of a near-patient test as an additional investigation.
AB - BACKGROUND: In a pan-European randomised controlled trial (GRACE INTRO) of two interventions, (i) a point-of-care C-reactive protein test and/or (ii) training in communication skills and use of an interactive patient booklet, both interventions resulted in large reductions in antibiotic prescribing for acute cough.AIMS: This process evaluation explored patients' views of primary care consultations using the two interventions in six European countries.METHODS: Sixty-two interviews were conducted with patients who had participated in the GRACE INTRO trial. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated into English where necessary. Analysis used techniques from thematic and framework analysis.RESULTS: Most patients were satisfied with their consultation despite many not receiving an antibiotic. Patients appeared to accept the use of both intervention approaches. A minority, but particularly in the trial arm with both interventions, reported that they would wait longer before consulting for cough in future.CONCLUSIONS: Patients perceived that both interventions supported the general practitioner's (GP's) prescribing decisions by helping them understand when an antibiotic was, and was not, needed. Patients consulting with acute cough had largely positive views about the GP's enhanced communication skills, which included understanding their concerns, and the use of a near-patient test as an additional investigation.
KW - Acute Disease
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
KW - Attitude to Health
KW - Cough/diagnosis
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Interviews as Topic
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Patient Satisfaction
KW - Primary Health Care/methods
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1038/npjpcrm.2014.26
DO - 10.1038/npjpcrm.2014.26
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 25030621
VL - 24
SP - 14026
JO - npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
JF - npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
SN - 2055-1010
ER -